The Footsteps of a Divergent Dauntless
by Preci LV
Summary: Being the only child of Tris and Tobias, Elizabeth Eaton, or Liz, has already had her mind set on being Dauntless. When her arch-enemy, Thomas Marshall, switches factions and his former faction declares war once again, it's up to them and Liz' friends to save the day.
1. Meet Liz

_What would you do if you were the only child of two Divergents….? What would you do if one of the biggest factions is out to get you for revenge? What would you do...if you were in my shoes...?_

* * *

Hello. I am Liz Eaton: the daughter and only child of Beatrice "Tris" Prior and Tobias "Four" Eaton, two former Abnegation members who are also Divergent. I was born in the faction of Dauntless, the scariest faction of them-all. Even thought they had paired up with the cursed Erudite to eradicate the Divergent, it's still home to me (I guess). Had it really been years ago since the Erudite declared war on Abnegation? Had it really been years ago that Jeanine had died? Had it REALLY been years ago that...never mind. I don't want to go into _further_ details. I stare at my reflection in my tiny ass bedroom. Small figure, not too bad...Shoulder-length dark hair, meh...Muscular, okay. Tattoo of the Dauntless symbol on my wrist (which I have gotten last year, due to the permission of Father, but the doubt of Mother), _perfect!_ It was only today that we had to take this stupid Aptitude test when we turn sixteen years of age. Stupid. Why the hell do we need these stupid tests anyway! I know that I'm going to Dauntless regardless! Stupid. Notice how I act like a cocky version of my father, Tobias. Normally, Mother would disapprove of my cockiness since she is from Abnegation, the most _BORING_ faction _EVER_! Am I right? Snore fest. Yet, I mostly token her stubbornness. Anyway, I look at myself and stare at myself, putting my long dark hair in a ponytail before putting on my black t-shirt and matching skinny jeans. As I grabbed my bookbag, I run downstairs, grabbed an apple and bolted out the door before being stopped by my mother, Beatrice AKA Tris. I sigh to myself.

 _Shit. What does Mother want this time...?_

Mother sits me down on a chair in the kitchen, facing me. She smiles at me and beckons me to come closer as she hugs me with one arm. I groan in the back of my mind. Why did she had to get all mushy on me? It was gross. But, it was in her blood since she WAS from Abnegation, who were mostly known for their selflessness, their gray outfits...and their stiffness.

"Liz. You're getting older..."

 _Here we go..._

"And me and your father will always love you, no matter where you'll go."

"I _know_ , Mom. You'll know that I'm Dauntless through and through. _Faction before blood_ , remember?"

She nods and smiles. She sorta reminds me of Grandma Natalie. Before she died. Even though I've never met her, she always was like...I'll never know.

"I'm proud of you, Liz. You know that, right?"

"Tris, let 'er go to school before she's late for school."

The male voice startled both of us as we turn to see my father, Tobias AKA Four standing in the middle of the hallway, arms crossed. Looking like the same cool-ish bad ass from long ago. I only seen the living room pictures and judging my two cents...he was SUCH a poser (but my idol).

"Yes, Father! You saved me!", I squeal as I run to hug my father. (Not a coincidence that I'm more attached to my dad than my mom. I have nothing against her. It's my tomboyish attitude.)

He hugs me back as he kisses my forehead and rushes me out of the door.

"Good luck in school," he calls out. "And kick some ass!"

Mother taps him lightly on the arm and laughs as she waves goodbye to me. I wave back and jumped on the train as I go to school. I sit next to my best friends: Keira and Mason.

Keira was very pretty with chocolate-colored skin and dimples. Her blue eyes really make her gorgeous. She smiles at me as she whispers something in my ear. "Can't wait 'til the tests."

"Ugh, me neither. They're stupid."

Mason snort-laughs as he pats Keira on the back. He had curly brown hair and his skin was as pale as a blanket. He always had eyes on Keira ever since we were, like, five.

"Aptitude tests can kiss our asses! Dauntless for life!", Mason screams as he fist-pumps the air. Keira laughs as I roll my eyes. Everyone was watching. My face turns red.

"Mason! Sit!"

"I'm not a dog!"

Keira calms him down. "Calm down, you guys."

Even though Keira was Dauntless, she acts more like Amity, the peacemaking hippies. Amity were known mostly for their peaceful tactics and their red and yellow outfits. I couldn't stand them. They make me sick. Not as much as the Erudite make me sick. Talking about them makes me want to take a knife and stab something...or someone. Father would 'probably' have mixed feelings on my behavior and Mother would scold me. The Erudite were mostly known for their thirst for knowledge and their blue outfits. I jump out of the train with my friends as we go to class together. We had History together. As we roam the hallways to get to class, an Erudite boy bumps me and I fall to the ground. I glare at the pair of feet. Blue Converses. Skinny jeans. Blue t-shirt. Stupid smirk on his face. Thomas. My enemy. Not only because he was an asshole, but he was from... _E_ _rudite._

"Thomas, I'll KILL you!", I say as I jump to my feet and glare at him.

He ran his hand through his curly black hair and laughs. "Typical Elizabeth. You're just mad that I'm better than you."

"Do I have to remind you of _who_ cut those curly locks off in his sleep...?"

I _may have_ cut off his hair when we were six. He stepped on my shoes.

"I would have sued."

"And yet, you didn't."

"Elizabeth, Elizabeth. Tsk, tsk."

" _My name's not Elizabeth!_ "

I say it a little too loudly. Keira grabs me and steers me from Thomas before I would have killed him. Literally. Don't be afraid of us Dauntless kids. We're not _that_ dangerous.

"Leave her alone, Thomas. Why do you have to be such a damn nuisance!"

Thomas laughs as he turns to go to class...only to be stopped by Mason. He may be skinny, but he knew how to fight. I've seen him, too.

"Going somewhere, Marshall?", he said with a threat tone in his voice.

"I'm not _afraid_ of _you_ , Mason."

Thomas leaves us as he goes to class. We head to class, as well. Keira and Mason sit together. As I was about to go inside, Thomas whispers in my ear.

"Looking beautiful as ever, Elizabeth."

I blush. As I turn to face him, he was gone. I hate it when he does that. Make me feel like a girl when I don't want to. Sure, he was 'good-looking'. But, he was an asshole. And a bug. And a troll. So on and so forth. I sit next to Keira. She asks me, "Are you alright, Liz?"

I nod. I must tell her what Thomas said. She'll never let it go. It's been a few years that he's done this. Although I don't know what his motives where...I was scared to find out.


	2. The Tests

Due to the Aptitude Tests, classes had to be cut short and we had to report to them after lunch. I should be happy since I didn't have to deal any of the other students (like Thomas...that little toad), but I didn't want to take this stupid test! I knew I was going to a Dauntless regardless, but rules were rules, and I couldn't break them, even if I tried (Mother and Father would both kill me anyways...). I was tapping my foot eagerly as I wait to hear my name called by one of the test proctors. I sit next to one of my childhood friends, Marty Fowler. His pale white skin, shiny orange hair, dimpled cheeks and multiple arm tattoos were hard NOT to miss. He looks at me from the corner of his greenish eye and asks, "Dauntless?"

I nod. Technically, I WAS going to say some smart remarks...but I dismiss them.

"Marty Fowler and Elizabeth Eaton.", a woman's voice says.

We both stood up and headed into the rooms that next to each other. As Marty was about to go into his room, he says to me cockily, "Elizabeth...good luck to ya."

I roll my eyes and said, "Shut up, Marty..."

He snickers and goes into the room. I go into the room, being greeted by a blonde, middle-aged Dauntless woman with two missing front teeth. She smiles as she was showing her teeth.

 _Yep. Definitely Dauntless._

"My name is Lucy. You must be Elizabeth."

In my mind, I was growling, but giving the Abnegation manners that my mother instilled in me, I nod and smile. "Yes, ma'am."

She was hooking up some wires upon my head and also connecting some tubes as we were being connected. As she was too busy hooking up different wires, I spotted a snake tattoo on her forearm. "What's with the snake tattoo?"

"Curious for a Dauntless.", she says.

I glare at her. "Just wondering. You don't have to be shrew."

Lucy cocks an eyebrow at me. "It's a fear I had to conquer."

"Do you still have that fear?"

"Sometimes...what's YOUR fear?"

"I'm fearless."

"Not ALL Dauntless are fearless."

"My parents are."

"Sure..."

She rolls her eyes at me as she gives me a orange-colored drink. I glare at her. What was her damn problem? I didn't trust her.

"Whoa...what's THAT?"

"Never you mind it. I'm not supposed to tell."

"Aw, _come on_! Us Dauntless can keep a secret.", I say with a wink.

She glares at me. "Us _Dauntless_ follow the rules..."

I glare at her.

 _Bitch..._

I sip the drink slowly before passing out.

* * *

I was in the cafeteria. I look around and breath through my nose. I didn't trust this. Not at all. In front of me, there was a table with two woven baskets: one with a chunk of cheese and another with the knife the size of my forearm.

"Choose.", says a woman's voice.

I jump at the voice.

 _Damn...shit. What the fuck...?_

"The knife, stupid! What do you think?"

I grab the knife, twirling it with my finger, trying not to cut myself. Just because I'm Dauntless, doesn't mean that I'm stupid.

The female voice giggles and says, "Good luck...you're gonna need it."

 _What the hell does THAT mean...?!_

Just then, I heard growling. At first, I thought it was my stomach, but I remember I ate an apple and burrito before coming here. Then, I slowly turn around, only to find a growling pit bull glaring at me, his eyes like black pits. My heart was racing like NASCAR, but I later tried to calm down.

 _This is only a simulation...it can't hurt me. Calm down. You can do this. Don't let down Dauntless._

My eyes close, steading my breathing. Dogs smell fear due to these glands we produce. I learned that from my Uncle Caleb, my mother's older brother and my father's nuisance. I scream out as I lunge at the pit bull, stabbing it in the midsection, its' blood flowing onto my jeans as I was kneeling near it. I breathe heavily as the dog disappears. I slowly get up and said, "Are you happy...? Can we get ON with the next step!"

Phase One complete. Next...Phase Two.

* * *

Train. I'm on a train. Why am I on a train? Is it time to go home? I wonder if the voice heard me. I decide to sit down and relax, but I was too busy staring at a person reading a newspaper. Their hands scarred as if they were burned. I shudder. Was he a Dauntless as well?

"Do you know this person?", he asks, his voice scruffy. He points to the photo on the newspaper with his index finger, his hands still groping the paper.

I glace at the headline.

 _Brutal Murderer Finally Apprehended!_

I wonder if Mom or Dad knew this person. As I was about to tell him, I stop myself.

 _Maybe telling him that would be a bad idea..._

"Well, do you?!"

I jump at his voice.

 _Bad idea! VERY bad idea!_

I close my eyes.

 _This is a simulation...calm down. Calm down!_

I breathe quietly.

"Do you KNOW this person!"

"No, I don't."

He crumples up the paper, so I could see his face. His face scarred up like his hands. I shudder more.

"Tell the truth! You KNOW this person! Tell the truth! Maybe _you'll save me...!_ "

I clear my throat and looked him in the eye.

"I do not know, dear sir..."

* * *

My eyes open and I was being stared down by Lucy. Her lips pressed together as she was taking off the wires. She looks at me for a while before saying, "God...that was... _interesting_...please excuse me."

As she leaves the room, I was staring up at the ceiling, too many thoughts roaming inside of my mind.

 _Dear God, I hope that I didn't fail this test. But...how can I fail at something that I wasn't prepared for?! God, please let me pass...I don't want to be factionless..._

Lucy comes back and sits next to me. "Well, Ms. Elizabeth. Your test was interesting...Only three possibilities came up..."

 _Three?_

"When you were facing the dog, you were thinking of a strategy, which is Erudite-like...though you killed it, making you more of a Dauntless. _However..._ "

"However?"

I was getting tense.

"When you were asked to tell the truth to save that man, you didn't...so Candor is out."

"Good. I hate Candor."

She smiles. "Anyways...Candor's out; yet, you also kept your composure when you wee being asked...not very Dauntless-like...more _Amity._ Which kind of gives us a problem, Elizabeth."

I grit my teeth.

I don't know what's worse: the possibility of being an Amity (the biggest wimps of all of Chicago) or the possibility of being an Erudite (and being near... _Thomas_!). I was trying so hard not scream in panic, so I breathe through my nose and say, "That IS quite interesting."

"Yes. These type of results are..." She closes her mouth and sighs a bit. " _Divergent_."

She comes close to my face, eye to eye, and says, "Liz. Whatever you do...don't-I repeat-DON'T tell anyone."

"I know that we're not supposed to share our test results. I'm not stupid."

"No, Liz...this is IMPORTANT! NO ONE should know about this! EVER! Got it?"

I nod my head slowly. "What is so BAD about being a Divergent?"

"I can't tell you that. All I know is..."

She puts her hands on my cheeks and smiles her missing toothed smile. "Stay tough, Lizzie."

She goes to leave, but stops in her tracks. "Your last name is Eaton, right...? Are you the daughter of Tobias Eaton? And Tris Prior?"

I jump at her question. How does she know my parents? Were they REALLY famous? I know that they're rebels...but still.

"Yes, ma'am."

"My friend knows them; that's why I'm asking."

Was it Tori? I know that she was great friends with my mother, helping her save my Uncle Caleb from being executed by the authorities since he was a Erudite initiative, but he was later saved by both my parents and her, but she was killed by the stupid actionless bastards! I wished that I would had met her; she must have been a total badass chick.

"Is it Tori...?"

"Never you mind."

She smiles again and leaves. I slowly get up from the recliner that I was sitting upon and walked out the room, meting up with Marty, who looked as if he was nervous to see me.

"Are you okay, Marty? You look-"

"Fine. I'm fine, Liz."

"Are you sure?"

"Since when are YOU the caring one?", he snaps, before realizing what he said. "Sorry, Liz. I'm just...oh God. I don't-"

"Marty, I'm cool, okay? It's just a stupid test; don't let it get you down."

"Thanks, _Elizabeth_."

I was about to slap him, but he runs, laughing at me. I sneer and go outside to jump upon the train, before landing right in front of...Thomas. He smiles widely as he pats a seat next to him. Keira and Mason were rows far from us. Not noticing Thomas on the train. I sigh as I sit next to him.

"What are YOU doing on the train? Only the _Dauntless_ take the train."

"Oh, really?", he says as he looks from left and right, as if he was looking for something. "I haven't seen anything about it in the rules. Nobody hasn't told ME anything about this new rule."

"Haha, very funny, stupid. You know that we only take these trains."

"It's a free world. Can we take the train like a normal society...?"

"No. You, my dear Tommy, are SCUM. Like your damn faction."

"Wow. Why can't we be friends, Lizzie...?"

I know that he wasn't being serious. He wraps his arm around my neck and comes close to me. I shudder. What was he trying to pull? It was a good thing that my stop was coming up next. I try to get up, but my foot accidentely kicks my purple bookbag open, making a book fall out of it. Thomas grabs the book.

"Give it back, Marshall!"

My face was red. He was smirking at me as he was reading the title.

" _To Kill a Mockingbird_. Interesting...I thought that you hated reading."

"I DO!", I say, snatching the book from him and stuffing it in my bookbag. "I'm just reading it for killing ideas. I mean, it's IN the title. Killing birds, right?"

Lie. It's about racial inequality. Uncle Caleb bought it for me as a gift for me to do something more...constructive...unlike my habit with setting things on fire and making people miserable. Obviously, that the Eruditeness inside of him didn't go away. Clearly, he didn't know me very well.

"Oh. I though that there was a brain in that pretty head of yours.", he says as he gets up and pokes at my forehead. I slap his hand away.

"Knock it off!"

"Sorry. My love..."

I can't take it. I was about to jump off the train, for it was my stop, but Thomas comes close to my ear. "You're very beautiful, dear Elizabeth."

I was about to lose my balance, but manage to jump off safely. Brushing off any rubble on my clothes, I look back and ran to my house, thinking about all of the stuff that Thomas was putting inside of my head.


	3. Choosing Day!

After that incident, I run home. I didn't care who was watching or who might try to get me. Being paranoid as I was, I didn't look back. I run into the house, slamming the door behind me and ran upstairs to my room.

 _Divergence. Being Divergent. What the hell does that mean?! Should I ask Mother and Father? No. I don't want to get in trouble…_

Mother manages to hear me and asks, "Elizabeth...? Dear, is that you?"

I hesitate for a second. "Yes, ma'am."

"Are you okay?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Are you-"

"MOM! I'm. fine."

"Alright..."

I can hear Mother's footsteps as she was leaving my door. I sink to the floor as I put my face upon my hands. I sigh.

 _Why was my life so damn difficult!_

It was Thomas' fault for his flirty ways! It was making me stressed! How he calls me 'pretty' or 'beautiful' all of the time! Does he like me? Does he _really_ have a thing for me?!

 _No...get those crappy thoughts out of your damn brain! NOW! Thomas is a toad! He's a fuckin' toad and he needs to die!  
_

Good God. How would Mother think of me if she knows what I was thinking!

 _Lord knows._

I hear a knock on the door.

"Enter.", I say.

Father comes into my room, looking like the bad boy Mother fell in love with many years ago.

Tan skinned.

Dark-blue eyes.

Good facial features.

No wonder Mother fell in love with him. He was sculpted like a God.

"Are you okay, Liz? Are you nervous about the test results?"

" _No! I'm fine, Daddy!_ I'm a Dauntless, regardless! Through and through. 'Faction before blood', right?"

He smiles lightly and nods. "Right."

He steps back to look at me.

I know what he was looking at.

Dark hair into a ponytail. Dark blue eyes. Dauntless behavior. Every inch like Father.

Pale skin. Narrow nose. Skinny frame. Every inch like Mother.

He smiles at me lightly as he wraps one arm around my neck and hugs me. I feel if Father lets go, we'd both end up crying. And we Dauntless don't cry. As he lets me go, his eyes were teary and blurry looking. I guess it was okay, so I let out a few tears. He kisses the top of my head as he leaves. He pokes out his head and says later, "Your mother is right; we love you, no matter where you go..."

He closes my door lightly.

I sigh as I cry to myself. I must not let my fears control me. I didn't want to leave Mother and Father. I didn't want to leave my friends.

I couldn't wait until tomorrow. This year, the ceremony would take place into Abnegation again. I have a feeling that both my mother and father would feel uncomfortable going back to the place where it all began. I know for a FACT Uncle Caleb would be there. I AM his only niece, after all.

The only thing I WON'T look forward to is seeing Grampa Marcus. He was a toad, along with Thomas. I heard evil things about my grandfather. Beating my father when he was young. I didn't like the look of his face: innocent-looking and almost like Father. Creepy. I would kill him, if I could, but knowing Mother...

* * *

Today is the day. Choosing Ceremony. Yay. I'm being sarcastic...

I sit next to Marty and Keira. Keira's last name is Edwards. She smiles at me. I nod at her. We hold hands under the chairs. We both know that we're Dauntless through and through. I look at the back of Mason's head. His last name is Howard. He turns around as I blow in his ear. He sticks his tongue out and winks at Keira. Keira slaps him playfully. Everyone was sitting in the order of their factions. We, on the other, were sitting among ourselves. I search around for Mother and Father; I see them, waving at us. We wave back. Uncle Caleb was next to Mother, cheering loudly. "Yeah, Elizabeth! Go, Lizzie! Whoo-hoo!"

I sink to the ground in my chair.

 _Uncle Caleb..._

Mother sits him down. Father shakes his head. Keira and Mason laugh at me.

"Shut up, you bastards...", I mutter.

"Sorry, _Elizabeth_!", jokes Mason, making faces at me. Keira laughs.

I hear laughter from the other side, near a corner. It was Thomas. Erudite trash.

I sit back up when I see...Marcus.

Grampa Marcus.

I glare at him. I watch my father sink down, while Mother was trying to calm him down. Uncle Caleb was scowling.

As Marcus was coming to the podium, he was doing his stupid speech that I manage to drown out before he was announcing the names. Keira was up now. She was standing in the middle of the room when Marcus gave her a knife. The point of it was to stick the knife to cut yourself and your blood was to go to the faction bowl you want to go or stay. Lit coals for Dauntless; earth for Amity; gray stones for Abnegation; glass for Candor; water for Erudite. Keira cuts herself. She sticks her arm to the coals, meaning she was staying Dauntless. Me and Mason cheer out loud. I was almost up next. My heart sank. But, I knew I was Dauntless. I go up and snatch the knife from Grampa Marcus.

"Hope you're coming to Abnegation.", he says, winking.

"Never, scumbag."

"Oh, well. I've tried."

"Like how you've _tried_ to almost kill Daddy."

"I didn't TRY to-"

"Child abuser!", I yell.

Every eye was on me as I was nearly screaming. Father sinks lower. Mother was looking around, making a face. Uncle Caleb, on the other hand, was smirking.

"Child abuser! Grampa Marcus is a-"

" _Enough!_ ", he says before calming down, the red leaving his face. I smirk. "Just. Pick your damn faction."

"Ooo! You cursed!", I joke.

"Elizabeth."

"Don't call me that."

I HATE the name Elizabeth. It's demeaning. I only let Mother and Father call me it for certain reasons.

I cut myself with the damn knife. Stinging like Hell. I glare at my wound. I look around me.

Dauntless: Home. Thrill seekers.

Erudite: Knowledge seekers (bastards)

Amity: peacemakers (*chokes on air*)

Abnegation: selfless being (bullcrap, home to Mother and Father, Uncle Caleb and... _him_ )

Candor: honest bastards (I remember this one girl who said horrible 'lies' about me, so I punched her in the jaw...being automatically suspended for a week. So worth it.)

I shudder at the fact of being factionless. Dirty, poor and hungry all of the time. Good thing Uncle Caleb wasn't 'technically' factionless. He was hiding in the Dauntless headquarters, living by us.

I look around and go over to the smoking coals.

 _Dauntless for life._

Keira squeals and hugs me as I get down. Mother, Father and Unc clap for me.

I bow down and sit as I glare back at Gramps. Old bastard.

Marty was up.

He was nervous.

He makes a GRAVE mistake.

He chooses Amity.

The Dauntless members talk among themselves. My smile drops. Marty, my best friend since childhood...chooses Amity! No wonder he was nervous! He was scared of my reaction. He knew of my hatred of the Amity for being wimps. Now that he WAS a wimp...I turn my head at him. He smiles shyly then looks away at us as he sits with the wimps. I sigh. I shouldn't be upset. There was a lot of transfers but others stay put. Mason was staying put, so it cheered me up.

The one that was making me more tense was Thomas.

I knew automatically that he was going back to Erudite.

Scumbag faction.

I wished that he was factionless.

Keira whispers in my ear, "Bet he's gonna choose Erudite."

"Of course! He's an egghead!"

"Eggheads suck!", says Mason.

We laugh as Gramps gives Thomas the knife. He was smirking at me; I roll my eyes.

 _Bastards._

Thomas turns his attention to the Erudite and Dauntless bowls. Why was he paying our faction any attention...? Unless he's...no. NO!

We all look at him with wide eyes.

"NO!", I scream out.

Too late.

His blood sizzles the coals.

He was Dauntless.


	4. Welcome to Dauntless!

I couldn't stop swearing after a long, good hour. How dare he transfer to Dauntless! My faction! MINE! Not only he was going to torture ME, but also he'll torture Keira and Mason! Soooo not fair! I got done after a while and managed to kick over a trash can. Keira rubs my back and says, "It's alright. We'll be okay."

"Stop acting like a Goddamn Amity for a damn second! God, you're killing me!"

Keira glances at me and looks at her feet. I cover my mouth. "Keira."

"No. I get it."

She walks off from the room. Mason lowly whistles and shakes his head. "Cold, dude. Keira! Wait up!"

He follows her.

I'm all alone now. What have I done? I made my best friend cry. THOMAS!

"Yes, dear Elizabeth...?"

I jump and scream. I didn't even SAY anything!

 _How did he-_

"How'd the hell-"

Thomas puts his finger on my lips, silencing me. I shake him off. Even though it felt good...DAMMIT!

"Alright, Thomas…what the hell? Why did you switch factions?"

Thomas chuckles and says simply, "I've studying the Dauntless for a long time now. Your action is really...interesting...! The hype! The rush! All of it! It's amazing! And because, Elizabeth, I didn't want to let you slip from my hands. How could someone else handle your exquisite intensity? No one ever understood you like me, Liz."

He cups my hands within his own. I blush.

"You're mine, Liz Eaton."

Thomas looks over to see if anyone was there. No one was watching. I secretly wish someone was. So he can back away from me.

"I'll let my father kill you."

"Yes. The notorious Tris and Tobias Eaton. The ones who infiltrated Erudite headquarters and killed our leader."

I hiss at her. Jeanine Matthews. The old Erudite Leader. The one who spread lies on my mother's family. On Abnegation. My own enemy, even though she was dead. "Thomas, you'll die. I'll laugh if you die. Please die!"

Thomas chuckles again. "You don't know what I'm capable of, Liz."

He leaves. Turning around, he says, "Hurry. Or else you'll miss the train."

Crap, the train! I run out of the room, with Thomas and the other Dauntless members running and following me. As we come near the train, Keira's arms came close to me. I grab them as she pulls me in. I pull in Thomas and he falls on top of me. I scream as I push him off of me.

"Gross, gross, _gross_! I got Erudite **cootie** **s**!", I say as I shake off my shirt and dust off my pants.

Thomas smirks at me as he sits next to me and my friends, making me blush deeper. Keira gives me a strange look, as if suspicious. _Mason_ , on the other hand, looks uncomfortable.

He clears his throat. "So. Thomas. What brings you into our faction?"

"Well-"

"He's being a douche!", I say. Glaring at him. I swear if he utters a word...

Thomas shuts his mouth and smirks. "Says the girl reading _To Kill a Mockingbird_."

Keira glares at me. "You're reading books!?"

"To get ideas of killing!"

"Oh, _really_! And you judge ME for acting like an Amity!"

"Amity trash! They make ME sick!"

"Amity are people too, Liz!"

"Who says!?"

"Hold it, girlies!", says Mason. "Calm down. We're on a TRAIN!"

Mason's eyes widen as he sees the Dauntless jumping out of the train. "Good God, I forgot this part..."

We have to jump off and land on the roof.

He goes to the open door and jumps out, screaming out. Keira jumps next, yelling out.

"You're crazy for doing this, Dauntless.", says Thomas, chuckling.

"Did you forget this part..? Does this make you wanna go back to your stupid faction?"

"Nope; it makes me wanna be near you more..."

"Shut up."

I grab him and we both jump off together. We land perfectly. Keira glances at us, waving. Mason was rubbing his knee. In pain. I go over to him and ask him, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah... _fucking Christ, that hurts!_ "

Keira giggles and helps him up, rubbing his knees for him. "Thanks, Keira."

She smiles.

I nod. I hear someone crying as she was looking over the roof corner.

"Calm down. Misty, calm down."

"But, Parker-"

"Misty, **come on**!"

Parker ushers Misty away. I'm guessing someone didn't make it over. We're not really 'safe'. I glance over. A body was hit hard on the concrete. Her body in all angles. Must be Misty's sister. Miley. Shit. Not another one...This makes it our recent death. Even though I really never spoken to the M-twins, they were okay with me, I guess. My stomach was turning over as I stare at her fallen body, but Keira steers me away before I go on a rampage.

We look at our Dauntless leader. Lawrence. Well...ONE of our leaders. I was hoping that Daddy would be our leader. Yet, he was a trainer for the transfers. Maybe he would be a leader if he wanted to. It would be cool...and yet...embarrassing. Not as embarrassing as Thomas ruining my life! Forever. And forever. And ever. I mentally slap myself.

 _Shut up, me! Calm down. And shut up!_

I see Lawrence and waved. He was balding and dark-skinned. Having his nose pierced and a huge tattoo of the Dauntless symbol on his forearm. He nods at me.

"I'm Lawrence, your leader. Now, for your next test...jump off this roof."

"Jump off the roof!", screams an Amity girl. "Are you crazy! It was bad enough to jump off _a moving train_!"

Lawrence comes close to her face. "Ready to give up...?"

She shrinks down and says, meekly, "Is there a net, at least...?"

"Want to find out for yourself….?"

She shuts up. Lawrence smirks. Before he said any more...

" _Whooooo-hooooo!_ "

I jump off. Literally. Jumped off the frikkin' roof! I land on a net, getting tangled and laughed. "That was fun, bitches!" I look at a familiar face. Father. Shit. He shakes his head and sighs as Mother and Lauren giggle.

"Hey, guys...", I say, meekly. "First jumper. Remember, Mother?"

Mother blushes while Father and Lauren laugh.

I get myself untangled by Father while I hear a few screams. Keira, Mason and Thomas all jumped out together and land on the net. Keira was laughing hysterically while Mason was heavily breathing. Thomas was unimpressed. Dusting off his shoulders, he looks at me. Winking. I blush. Shiiiiittttt!

* * *

"Welcome to Dauntless! I'm sure that you'll like it here. My name is Four-"

An Candor girl laughs with her twin sister. One had her blonde hair in a ponytail while the other one had braids. They were as pale as I was.

"Four? Like the number? Is that like a joke?", the ponytailed twin named Brandy asks.

"Yes, like the number.", says Mother.

"Is there a problem?", asks Lauren.

"No.", says the other Candor twin with braids, Farrah. "It's funny."

Father rolls his eyes and says, "Anyways...let us show you the Pit."

"The Pit?", laughs Brandy. "Why the Pit? Is it like-"

"Shut up, will ya!", I snap. "Let Father talk!"

"Who are you-", started Farrah.

Father stops to glare at the wise-cracking twins and says, "You know what...? If I wanted to deal with wise-cracking Candors, I would've _joined your damn faction_! Now quiet!"

As we go to the Pit, the color on Farrah's face was drained.

"Oh...that's the Pit."

The Pit was _literally_ a pit! We all look around the Pit. Oooing and ahhing. There were rocks and no railings. None. I saw a bunch of kids running around. Mother was about to act 'stiff' and tell them to slow down, but Father tells her secretly not to. Lauren was looking at them and chuckles. Lawrence shakes his head.

Next was the chasm.

I squeal as we go near a railing over a ripple of water.

"Cool!", I say.

"How is this not _scaring anyone!_ ", says Farrah.

"Shut up, Candor.", I mumble.

Father separates us.

"This is the chasm. A daredevil jump over the railing would end your life."

I was about to go over the ledge when Mother spots me.

"Liz-"

Father grabs me by the ponytail and drags me away.

"Ow! Dad-"

"Did you not _hear me, Elizabeth!_ Why would you DO that!"

"I'm Dauntless, Dad! We do stupid things!"

"Liz-", says Mother. Father stopped Mother from speaking and was glaring me with a look in his eyes that I haven't seen before, and it scared me.

"If you do...some stupid shit like that again...I'll..."

He was near my face, but softens up. My face was turning pale and I was panting softly. It looked as if he was about to hit me.

He sighs to himself and says, "Don't do that again."

I almost felt as if I was about to cry. Keira grabs my shoulders and give them a squeeze as my tears couldn't stop.

* * *

We all go into a cafeteria to get a quick bite to eat. Hamburgers today. I glance at Thomas, who was next to me. "Hope that you Erudite trash aren't vegans..."

Thomas takes his hamburger and eats it in my face. Swallowing, he says, "Any more jokes, dear Elizabeth?"

"No."

"Heh. Good."

"Why are you messing with me!"

Father sits on my other side, making the both of us silent.

"Don't quit talking because of me.", he says as he ate.

So much for an apology.

Mother sits next to him, kissing him. Gross.

"Gross, Mom!"

"What? I can't show your father love?"

"I thought Abnegation were 'Stiffs'!"

'Stiff' was the nickname for the Abnegation because...well...they're stiff.

" _Abnegation_ is selfless. Sure, we have ways of showing emotions...but..."

"Yes, Mother?", I say as I cock up an eyebrow, smirking.

She stopped talking and looks at Dad. "Tobias?"

Father was looking at her and me. "I don't want to be a part of this."

Seems like Father forgot what had happened a few minutes ago.

I don't want to bring it up, so I joke. To relieve the tension.

"Haha! Mom!"

"Okay, Tobias. You guys win...but, we have to discuss your little 'stunt' at the ceremony."

Crap. I forgot I lashed out at Grampa Marcus this morning. It was worth it. So. Worth. It. I slide down in my seat and groan.

"Now, Mom. If you were me, you'd do the same thing. Don't go back to that 'Stiff' shit."

"Elizabeth Marie Eaton!"

" _Mom!_ "

"Ooo! Mama Tris whipped out the 'Marie'!", jokes Keira, who was heading to our table with Mason.

"Dad, if you were me, would you do the same thing!?", I say, glancing at Dad, who sighed.

"Listen to-"

"Yeah, yeah. Listen to Mother. I get it."

"She's right, you know. Your behavior was uncalled for."

"You two are making me want to be _factionless_!"

"Don't _say that_!", says Mother.

"Chill out. We need to calm down before Lawrence sees.", says Father.

"Has it been years since they killed the other leaders?", I ask.

Max was killed for a FACT, Eric's whereabouts were unknown to me though. The Erudite bastard! I knew that he was supposed to be executed, but I don't know if he was...

"Yes.", says Father, glaring at me. I sink in my seat a bit. I'm sure he didn't want to talk about it. Mother tries to dissolve the feud between us by talking to Thomas, who was interested in our conversation.

"Thomas, is it?", asks Mother as she sees him next to me. "Nice to meet you."

She shakes hands with Thomas. "Nice to meet you, Mrs. Eaton."

 _Gross._

"Dad, what are we doing today?", I ask.

"Today's a free day. Tomorrow, you'll report to the training field to learn the ropes of being a Dauntless. Shooting. Combat. The works."

"Combat? Like in _Street Fighter_? Sweet!", says Mason.

Ugh. I thought that we were going to do something _awesome_! Now I have to find something to do! Maybe I will get a new tattoo or something. Hang at the Pit with my fellow friends. As we get done, I walk by myself. I needed a breather after the fiasco with father. What was up with him, anyway? It WAS like he WAS about to hit me. I shake my head and walk alone again. Thomas follows me. Shit. I move away from him, but he was like a parasite!

"Quit it!"

"Never."

I run and he follows.

"Stop it, stop it, LEAVE ME ALONE!"

I end up with my back against the wall.

"Why do you keep bugging me!"

That's when he did it. He kisses my lips.

"Because I love you."

I look at him. Was he serious? Thomas kept kissing my lips, but he later stops as Father sees us.

"Oh. Are you two-"

"NO! Thomas was _leaving_!", I say, leaving from where I stood and coming close to my father.

Thomas looks at the both of us while the other members of Dauntless were following Father.

"Tomorrow, we'll meet up in the training field. You'll report there from eight to six, with a break for lunch. After six, you're free to do whatever you want. There will be three stages. Stage one prepares you physically, Stage two prepares you emotionally, and Stage three prepares you mentally. Be prepared for tomorrow morning."

Father turns to leave, with Mother, Lauren and Lawrence following him after showing us the dormitory that we have to share.

There were only ten bed and ten bodies. So, we didn't have to fight for the death, unfortunately.

Mother comes back, saying, "This is where you guys will be staying for the next ten weeks."

"In Dauntless, you'll be ranked.", says Lauren.

"Ranked?! Why?", spazzed Farrah.

"For one," says Lawrence, smirking. "To show where you place you in a job. There are only a few _desirable positions._ "

I shudder. If I'm going to get a job, it must be a _smart choice._ I see Thomas smirking in the corner of my eye. I blush.

"And for two, it'll show us how to cut you."

"WHAT!", says Brandy. "If we knew-"

"WHAT! If you knew, you wouldn't have _chosen us?!_ Leave if you feel that way!"

I shudder again as Lawrence was yelling at her. Like how Father was yelling at me.

As the leaders left, Lawrence goes into the dormitory, saying, "You chose us; now we choose you."

* * *

It was getting hader and harder to sleep. I couldn't sleep. This place was different from my room. I didn't have to share with anyone. No one would see me; I wouldn't see them. I sigh as I shift positions in my bed. Suddenly, I feel someone sitting near me. I freeze. I'm scared to turn around.

"Liz."

It was a boy.

 _Thomas._

"What...?"

"Good; you're awake. Are you afraid, too?"

Too?

"Meh. I'm okay...I guess."

"I mean. Taking how your dad yelled at you..."

I sit up.

"It's nothing."

He kisses my lips. I stare at him.

"Good night, Liz Eaton."

"Good night, Thomas Marshall."

As he was about to go back to his bed, I ask, "Do you like me...?"

He looks at me. "Is it a problem...?"

I hesitate.

He chuckles lightly and kisses me.

"Good night. Liz."

"Night, Marshall."

Thomas goes back to his bed and falls asleep. I, on the other hand, couldn't sleep. I was too busy thinking about Thomas and his kiss.


	5. Marlon

I was awoken by someone shaking me.

"Time to get up, sweetness."

Ugh. Keira. My eyes felt so heavy from sleeping and dreaming of Thomas. I rub them.

"What time is it?"

"Almost time for us to get to the training field. We have to get there by eight, remember? C'mon."

Though Keira was already dressed, I decided to put deodorant under my arms, change into my black skinny jeans and white t-shirt, with Keira tying my black Converses for me, we go eat a bagel and dash to the training field, with Mother waving at us. I sigh as I wave. I didn't want to be late for training on the first day. Not after what happened yesterday. Mason and Thomas look at us, waving at us. I nod while Keira waves happily. It's funny how Keira acts like an Amity mostly. Brandy and Farrah were on their best behavior today. There was another piece of Erudite trash looking at me. Another boy. Caramel-skinned with dimples. He winks at me. I growl lowly. Thomas looks at us and frowns. Jealous, maybe? I stiff a giggle. The thought of Thomas being jealous was funny. Father had a gun in his hands and thrusts it in my hand without looking at me. Clearly, he was pissed off about something.

 _Good morning to you too._

"Today, you will learn how to shoot a gun. Mentally preparing you to be aware of your surroundings; mentally preparing you for the worst possible contentious moment...more importantly...it teaches you bravery."

"How the...hell does shooting a gun show bravery...?", yawns the Erudite boy who flirted with me.

Father loads the gun as he aims for his head, making him choke on his yawn.

"Wake. The hell. UP! You're shooting a gun, idiot! It just makes you unlikely to cry home to your MOTHER and show your weakness."

The boy glares at my father and gets a gun.

I see a wooden rectangle with a red circle painted upon it. I aim at the bullseye and missed the first two times. The third time, I got it. Well. Thomas was _right there._ He looks at me and smiles. I smile back. Mother cheers us on, while Lauren and Lawrence nod with approval. Father, on the other hand, wasn't paying attention to me. He was standing here, back against the wall.

* * *

We break for lunch, my hands cramping from shooting that damn gun! When we go to the cafeteria, I sit with Keira, Mason and Thomas. The boy from earlier sits on the other side of me.

"S'up? Name's-"

"Hey, Marlon.", says Thomas flatly.

"Thomas, my man! It's been a while!"

Marlon shakes Thomas' hand and goes back to me.

"So, pretty girl. What's your name?"

"Liz.", I say. "What you want?"

"Nothing.", he says with his hands up. "I'm just asking you a question. You look pretty."

I growl. Thomas looks at him and says, "Marlon, what are you doing here?"

"I needed a change, man. You know the new leader is. Stuck-up brat."

"Joselyn is...okay."

"'Okay' isn't good enough."

"Marlon, please. Not now."

"No. The people _need to know this!_ "

Golly. An Erudite transfer. Hating on his own **leader**! I like this guy! I wonder what would Thomas think as he reads my thoughts. I mean...if he can read my thoughts.

Marlon stands up on his feet and standing on the table, about to go off on his own leader, but quickly gets down when he sees Father.

 _He's as scared of him as everyone else._

Father sits at our table with Mother and Lauren. Lauren's pierced eyebrow intimidates me. Making me want one so badly! As the adults sit, Father says, "We heard you talking about Joselyn."

"What...? No..."

Marlon tries to lie, but it doesn't work. He couldn't be cut out for Candor. Father glares at him, but softens up. "Joselyn's a pain. Not as much as Jeanine."

I slam my hand on the table. "Jeanine was a parasite!"

"Liz, please...", whispers Mother.

I sigh as I calm down. My hand hurting from the slam. I can't HELP myself! My anger is HARD to contain.

"Dad...when's combat practice?"

"Yeah, Father Four!", says Mason, getting interested. "I wanna be Bruce Lee!"

"Me too.", says Keira, meekly, looking at Mason, who blushed.

Father sighs and says, "After lunch. Promise."

"Dad," I start to say. "About the chasm and the Grampa incidents..."

"I don't want to talk about it!", he snaps before he regains himself. Mother sighs as she rubs his back. "Sorry. I don't want to discuss that."

"I feel that-"

"You _feel_ that you want to do your own thing all of the time."

"Not ALL of the time!"

"Liz."

"Don't fuckin' 'Liz' me, Dad!"

"Watch the attitude!"

"I'll watch it... _in the training field_!"

I got done with my lunch as I slam the tray upon the trash can. I storm out. With Marlon and Thomas following me. They look at each other.

"What are you doing?", asks Thomas.

"Cheering up Lizzie here. Are _you_ 'bout to do the same thing...?"

"No! Why would I associate with Dauntless trash!"

My mouth fell open as he storms off.

 _How the fuck dare HE!_

I was about to go after him when Marlon grabs my fist and turns me back to him. Kissing my lips! I push him off.

"Sorry. Was it sudden?", he asks.

I only manage to nod. But...I liked it. I kiss his lips and run out of the cafeteria and go into the dormitory. Burying my head in my pillow. Crying to myself.

 _How could I be a Dauntless and prove my usefulness to my parents when I keep **breaking down like this!**_


	6. Let the Games Begin!

By the time we go into the field the next day, I see tables of knifes and targets painted in red and blue. My eyes lit up and I run over to one of the tables. I grab a knife and twirl it with my finger. Father scares me by snatching the knife from my hand. I turn my body around and say, "HEY! WTF, dude?"

Mason snicker and Keira sighs.

Father rolls his eyes as Mother, Lauren and Lawrence come in.

"Today, we'll learn to throw knifes.", says Father.

"Why?", asks Farrah, being a smart ass. I sneer and say, "Because, STUPID, it's to prepare us for one of those...whatchamacallits. Right, Mom?"

Mom gives me a smile and says, "Yes. And are you trying to say _contingency_?"

I blush and fold my arms, huffing.

"Everyone, pick up a knife and line up.", says Lauren, flipping her blond hair.

We all grab three knifes each and head for a target, practicing throwing them. I was trying to throw without one, seeing what the best way to throw them. Farrah and Brandy see me and laugh.

"Hey, Elizabeth! You know what a _target_ is?", calls out Brandy. I roll my eyes and ignore them. After a few seconds and picked a knife, throwing it at the target and it hit a few inches to the bullseye. Farrah growls and throws her knife but it ends up going past the target and hits the wall. Brandy pinches the bridge of her skinny nose and yells at her sister.

"Farrah! What the hell was THAT?"

"Shut up! YOU try it then!"

I couldn't help myself but to laugh at them for being so stupid. Mason had hit the bullseye twice. He fist-pumps the air and yells like a rocker. I roll my eyes and say, "Tis isn't a concert, _Adam Lambert_!"

Mason sticks his tongue at me.

I laugh but stop midway as I see both Thomas and Marlon hitting the bullseye without mistakes! My cheeks turn red and steam came out of my nose. One side of me was green with envy while I wanted to ask them how they do it, but yet...they _are_ Erudite. They are as _smart_ as they are _parasitic_. Thomas saw me looking at me and smirks at me. I blush and turn my head. As I was still doing my training, he sees me struggling (mostly because he was near me, distracting me...), and takes my wrist lightly, helping me throw knifes at the target. I smile and look at him, but turned away.

"How'd you do that?", I ask.

Thomas shrugs and says, "Technique, I guess..."

"Thanks...I guess."

Thomas nods at me and says, "You're welcome...Elizabeth."

"Why do you guys like calling me THAT? What's the joy outta that?"

"It's fun.", he says simply and smiles.

I smile back.

Father was nodding his head. Mother and Lauren were cheering us on. Lawrence was, however, paying more attention to the stupid twins than the rest of us. Marlon must of seen me and Thomas and grew jealous. He shakes his head and throws his knife, but it hits the wall. He sneers and gets his knife. I smile at him, but frown as I see Keira struggling. NONE of her knifes were sticking on the target. I was about to come over there, but Lawrence...beats me to it.

 _Dammit...Lawrence, stay away from HER!_

He takes a big hand and turns Keke's whole body around, making her stumble forward a bit. "What the hell are you _doing, initiate!_ "

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"

"'Sorry' is for bums!"

"I'm..."

She quickly closes her mouth. She goes and tries to throw again, but it hits the wall again!

Oh no...

"What. The. HELL?" Lawrence was angry now...

"I-I-I don't know. I'm trying!"

"Go and get your knifes."

We all stop.

"Did I TELL you guys to stop?!"

We go back tot throwing except for me and Mason, whose face looks completely drained.

"Go and get your knives, maggot."

"No way...!"

"Why not...? You afraid?"

"Of being hit by a bunch of flying knives!? Uh, yea. Totally!"

I slap my forehead. If only her mother wasn't a former Candor!

"Stop!", he yells. We stopped. He comes close to Keira's face and says, "Go and stand in front of the target."

As she goes to stand in front of the target, her hands shaking, Lawrence grabs a knife and throws it at her, but it was few inches close to her abdomen. She screams and ducks her head.

"What the hell, Lawrence?", says Father, furious. He and Mom come over to talk to him.

"Why'd you do THAT?", says Mom.

Lawrence laughs and says simply, as if he didn't give a fuck, "Initiate's a scardey-cat. We have to wake them up in order to realize that Dauntless is no joke."

"You're just as worse as Eric...", mumbles Father.

"Oh, _am I_?", he says, overhearing him.

Father came face-to-face with Lawrence, sneering and his blood burning up inside of him. He looked as if he was about to attack him at any moment. And...it scared me. I've never seen Dad angry. Lawrence was about to throw another one, but I ran and push Keira out of the way and the knife ends up nicking me in the ear and cutting my ponytail. I feel for my ear and hair and sneer, saying some obscurcities.

"Class dismissed.", says Lawrence in a low voice and a smirk on his face. As we were slowly leaving the room, Mason wraps his arm around Keira's waistline and pulls her close to him, his face drained and his arms shaking. Keira kisses his neext and hugs him as they left. My heart felt like it was about to come out of my chest. I was happy for them, but upset with Lawrence for his actions. He should be FIRED for this! I'm surprised that he didn't get the Candor twins to do it! Speaking of them...as I was going to leave, Farrah bumps me from behind and Brandy kicks me. Laughing as they left, I slowly got up and ran out to grab one of them (Brandy) and punhc her in the gut. We were about to go into a full-out fight until someone grabs me by the waist and pulls me away. It was Thomas. He drags me away from them and goes into the dormitory.

"You shoulda let me kill her..."

"And risk letting you be factionless? No."

I shake my head and laugh. "You don't get it, Thomas. Keira means a lot to me. _Lawrence was an ass for doing that to her!_ I-I...*sigh*…."

He cups my face and kisses me. "I get; you two have been friends for a long time. It's alright."

I smile but my heart wants me to ask him the question. "Thomas...? Are we...you know."

"Are you asking me to be your boyfriend?", he asks with a cocky smile.

I punch him lightly and laughs. "Maybe...?"

He kisses me and says, "You know, Lizzie. A date with me can either make you...or break you. Remember that."

He gets up to leave. Before he left, he plays with my 'newly' cut ponytail and says, "You should keep this look...it makes you sexier. And…more Dauntless."

I grab him and kiss him, but slowly pull away. I remembered him insulting me earlier.

"What...?"

He tries to feel my face, but I swat his hand away. "Remember? I'm 'Dauntless trash'..."

"Oh...it was an accident...I mean...I thought that you wanted to keep us...a secret."

"Oh...okay. I'm sorry."

Thomas lightly smiles and kissed me in the lips and goes down to my neck. I stagger back. "Whoa, mister. We're not there yet."

"I thought you were _Dauntless_.", he jokes. I laugh and kiss him again.

* * *

Time for combat practice. Shit. I was too busy moving slowly, my eyes red from the tears I cried from last night. I had a dream about the whole incident with Lawrence with the knives. Instead of the knife missing Keira, it hit her in the gut and nearly killing her. I held her close with her blood soaking on my clothes. As I sulk into the training field, Father looks at me.

"Are you okay, Liz?"

I shrug and sit next to Keira, who asks, "Dear, what's up?"

"S'nothin'."

"Not nothing. Something's up. Wanna talk later?"

I look over at Thomas, who was joking with some of the other boys. Dauntless-born like me. He looks over at my direction, blushing. Looking away, he jokes with the boys again. I smile lightly and said, "I...I'm okay."

Keira smiles lightly as she rubs my back.

"Thank you, Keira..."

"Is it from yesterday?"

Before I got to answer, Father starts the lesson.

"Alright, listen up! We'll be learning hand-to-hand combat. Over behind me are some punching bags. It'll teach you how to fight in case of emergencies. It'll be even handy for your next training session after the following session."

I knew what he meant. When we have to fight each other. I hope that I would be paired up against Thomas. I wanted to knock out his perfect toothed smile.

I was up against my punching bag. Endlessly punching until my knuckles hurt. But, it was useless! Father wasn't even paying ATTENTION to me! He was helping the others. I feel as if he knew what I was capable of. Yet, I knew that he was still pissed off about yesterday. I was trying to punch again, only to be distracted by Thomas, who looked as if he knew what he was doing. Damn my skinny frame! Making me feel WEAK! Thomas glances at my direction, muttering something under his breath. I only manage to hear, "Dauntless weakling..."

I knew that he didn't mean saying that...but it still hurt me.

"I'm not _weak_!", I yell as I punch a hole into the punching bag, making sand come out of it. I huff at the messed-up bag and glare at Thomas, who staggers back. I was about to jump at him when Father grabs my fist.

"I _think_ that's enough for today. Let's take a mini-break."

Father holds on to my hand to drag me out of the room. He takes me back into the dormitory and sits me down.

"I didn't do anything, dad!"

"Don't. Make. Excuses. Your behavior isn't tolerated, young lady. Keep it up and I'll make you factionless!"

I look him in the eye.

 _Are you willing to make me factionless...?_

I sigh. "Yes, sir."

"What is with you, anyway? Is it about yesterday?"

I forgot about yesterday. Dammit, Lawrence...But I also remembered about Father's behavior towards me lately.

"If it is, Liz...I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-"

"What? Act like Grampa Marcus?"

His lip twitches and says, "I'm nothing like your grandfather and you know it, Elizabeth."

"Whatever...can I go now?"

Father sighs. "Fine."

I start to walk away, but I stop myself to ask, "Dad...?"

"Yes, sweetie?"

I was about to ask him 'the question' (about me being Divergent and its' definition), but I said, "I love you."

Father smiles and hugs me. "I love you too."

* * *

I sat with Keira and Mason at the cafeteria. Thomas was joking with Marlon and a few Dauntless born kids. I sigh as I circle my peas around. Damn Abnegation. If only Mother Father were both born Dauntless...Thomas looks at Mason then back at me. Mason says in the middle of nowhere, "Let's get a tattoo!"

"Of what?", asks Keira.

"Don't know. Maybe something _scary_!", he says, making a scary face, which looked ridiculous. We both laugh at him as we go into the tattoo parlor at the Pit after we ate. Mason sits on a recliner next to a heavily tattooed guy with a kinky black beard.

"Dragon, please, Bruce!"

Bruce nods as he starts to work on Mason, while me and Keira sat there, scrolling through tattoo pictures in a book.

Keira asks, "I don't want to bring this up...but remember when Thomas said something about _To Kill a Mockingbird_...?"

I froze. "Yeah. And?"

"Why were you reading that book? Isn't it depressing?"

"So?", I ask with an eyebrow raised. "Can I read in peace!? I'm reading about death!"

"You're reading about slavery, Liz. It's okay; I've read the book before."

"Why can't I read, dammit!?"

"Because Dauntless don't read."

"Fine! Unc gave me this so I could have something _reasonable_ to do! Okay?"

"I knew it...", she says with a smirk. A cocky smirk. I hate her so much now. I sigh as I gently push her. Keira laughs.

"You shared with me; now I share with you. The reason I act like an Amity all of the time is-"

I see Lucy. The woman from the aptitude tests! What was she doing here? Mason was screaming now. Keira comes to his aide to calm him down. Now, it's my chance. I go over to her. Lucy smiles as she says coolly, "Hello, Elizabeth."

"Lucy."

"How's it been, first jumper?"

I stiff a giggle and says, "Okay, I guess. I need to ask you-"

"No. Not here."

"But-"

"No! *Sigh*….fine..."

Lucy takes me to the back and says, "Divergence means that you could manipulate the simulations. You KNOW you're in a simulation. And it's _dangerous_ to be...be careful, Liz."

"Okay...how do you know my parents again? A friend? Are you friends with Tori or something?"

"Not important.", she says.

"But-"

"Want a tattoo?"

Weird how she changed the subject on me, but I ignore it. I thought about it. I DID say I wanted another tattoo...

"Eh. Why not?"

"What kind?"

I think. "A heart. On my other wrist."

"Why a heart?"

"Because...I want one."

"Do you love someone...?"

I was about to say Thomas, but I was still too mad at him. But, I didn't care. I'm sure that he didn't mean it.

"Yeah...I do."

As she tattoos a heart on my wrist, I think about Thomas. His kiss and his words.

 _God...do I miss him..._


	7. The Fights

After we got done with our tattoos, we head to the training field, we were about to prepare for fighting each other. I sigh. Mason was too busy showing off his new dragon tattoo. I couldn't help myself but to think about Lucy's words and her unsteadiness. What was up with her and why was she keeping secrets? Who did she know? I shake my head. I need to focus on the battles...Thomas was looking at me with sympathetic eyes, but it wasn't working for me. Even though, it should. Father was near the chalkboard with Lawrence. I haven't talked with Lawrence in a while. He was scarier than usual. I didn't want to anger him. Farrah and Brandy were gossiping over a few feet away from us. Now, I'm hoping that I was paired up against one of them, just to get them to shut up for once. Candor trash. I see what Father was writing. I sigh as I see Keira was paired up against Farrah. Farrah looked as if she was working out. She smirks at our direction. Keira shudders.

"It'll be fine, Keke.", I say.

"I hope so. I'm the third one up. After Mason and Marlon's fight."

"Who's first...?"

Keira looks at the chalkboard and stiffens. "You want me to be Candor right now...?"

I was about to glance at the chalkboard until Father calls mine and Thomas's names. I hesitate for a minute. I **did** say that I wanted to face him, just to see what he was capable of, but I changed my mind! I sigh as I look at Father. He gives me a slight smile and nods at me. Lawrence, on the other hand, was smiling at me wickedly. Making me shudder harder. I was face to face with Thomas. Thomas was cracking his knuckles, saying, "You're going down, Dauntless."

"If you're trying to make me feel little, try again."

"Heh. Why make you feel something that you're already feeling?"

I sneer. "You're going down, Erudite trash."

"Dauntless trash."

Father counts down from five as we face off.

Thomas comes after me, throwing a punch, which missed but he aims for my ribs. I stagger back, making a fist to connect to his jaw. He ducks and grabs my arm, and twists it behind me. I scream out, going to my knees. Thomas whispers in my ear. "I'm sorry."

I look at him. Punching him in the gut. Thomas groans. Holding on to his side, he swift-kicks me. I fall to the floor. Thomas laughs as he sees me. "Not so tough now, are ya?"

I look at him, saying, "Shut up, dammit!"

I try to punch him, but he punches me in the face, grabs a hold of my shirt, throwing me to the floor and kicks me in the gut. I grimace in pain, but he wasn't holding back. He keeps kicking me and punching me in the face. "Stop it! STOP IT! I give..."

"No way! _You?_ Give up to me? HA! You _are_ nothing but pathetic case of a Dauntless!"

I slowly get up to my knees, clamping my mouth to keep people from hearing me cry hardly. I knew that he didn't mean this, but the pain was unbearable. Keira looks at Mason with worried eyes. Mason lowly whistles. Marlon looks at us, while the Candor twins laugh in secret. Father grabs a hold of me to steady me as I was coughing up a bit of blood, but Lawrence grabs me by my ponytail. I try to get him to let go, but his grip tightens.

"Lemme go, Lawrence!"

"You give up, you say?"

"Yes, I do!"

"Let my daughter go, Lawrence!", says Father, pulling his grip from my ponytail, but Lawrence growls at him.

"You know the rules around here...BOTH of you!"

"Lawrence-"

"Four! Lemme do this."

"Those were Eric's rules!"

"Keyword. _Were_. Now they're **mine**..."

"No..."

Father's face was drained as Lawrence drags me out of the room, still grabbing my hair. "You know the rules. You can't give up...coward."

"I'm NOT a coward!"

I grab my ponytail away from Lawrence, kicking him in the shin. He winces as he grabs his leg, growling at me.

"You **bastard**!"

He grabs my whole body and takes me to the chasm. Everyone follows him tot he chasm. "You're not a coward? Prove it. I DARE you to hold on to the railing for _five minutes_!"

"Damn right, I'll do it!"

Father comes close to him, saying, "Eric did the same with Christina...she was CLOSE to falling off! Now you're going to put my _daughter in danger_?!"

She's capable...", Lawrence sneers in his face. Before Father said anything, I was already over the railing. "Liz, no!"

"Father, I HAVE to do this! Mason, time me!"

Mason sets his watch to five minutes. "Honestly...don't mean to go Candor on you, dude, but...you're nuts."

"Shut up."

Father sighs while Lawrence smiles.

A couple of minutes passed but the wind was picking up, making the water splash on my back, making me scream.

"Liz!", screams Father. "Stop this now!"

Lawrence shakes his head. THe water was making my hands wet, but I manage to keep my hold on the railing. The water comes harder and I nearly fall off, before regaining my balance, grabbing the railing again. I had a minute and a half left.

"Go, Lizzie, GO!", shouts Mason and Keira, even though she was covering her eyes. "You could do it!"

Mom was entering the chasm with Uncle Caleb when she saw me, the color of her already pale skin going paler. She looks at Four, who was pointing at Lawrence. She groans and tries to grab me, but Lawrence stops her.

"Only thirty seconds left...", says Keira, her eyes still covered. I was scared but later calmed down. I still had a hold of the railing with my wet and bloody hands. Mason's watch beeps. "Time's up, Lawrence!"

Lawrence checks his own watch, slowly hesitating to call it off.

"C'mon! She did it, Lawrence! She did it! Let 'er go!"

"Meh..."

Mason was growling and Keira still had her eyes covered, unable to move. Father and Mother were about to help me up, but Thomas and Marlon beat them to it as they grab my arms and dragged me up. I was too cold and wet. I was standing up slowly, shivering and crying. Father hugs me and Mother kisses me. "What the hell were you _thinking?_ Four!", Mother yelling at Dad.

"Wha-I didn't DO it!"

"Mom, I'm fine. Dad didn't want to have anything to do with it. Be angry with me. It's my doing.", I say meekly, my ribs killing me.

She sighs. "What am I going to do with you...Liz...?"

"Ship me off to boot camp.", I joke, before holding on to my side. Mason wraps his arm around my shoulder while Keira was hugging me too tightly. "Ohmigod! Ohmigod! I'm SOOOOOO sorry I didn't help! Are you okay? Please say yes!"

"Keke, chill! I'm fine...let go."

She lets go and holds my hand. As we were going back to the dormitory, Thomas and Marlon glare at each other then look at me with sympathetic eyes. I smile at the both of them. Farrah, the stuck-up bitch, says, "Awww! I was hoping that you'd fall..."

I smirk and say, "And _I_ hope that Keira kicks your ass."


	8. Thomas or Marlon?

In the dormitory, I was laying on my bed. I was too sore to go and see Keira kick Farrah's ass. I take off my shirt and saw that the left side of my ribs were colored black and blue from the fight. I groan as I try to poke at it. I throw my shirt to the floor and lay back down in my skinny jeans and my black and white sports bra, nearly crying out in pain. I didn't notice someone knocking on the door.

"Enter," I say.

It was the Amity girl who yelled at Lawrence the last time. She had pink hair tied into a short ponytail and was wearing a red shirt with black leather pants. Turns out she changed from the last time. I remembered being platinum blonde.

"Special delivery.", she says.

"For me?"

She nods. Handing me two dozen roses. One dozen was blue while the other dozen was red and white.

"My name is Anna, by the way."

"Liz."

"I know... _first jumper._ "

We both laugh, but it hurts when I laugh...because...you know.

"Who are they from?"

"I can't say. I was told not to."

She hands me two notes from her back pockets and hands them to me. One was golden and the other note and black and white.

"The gold one is from the blue roses. And the other...you know."

"Yeah? Why'd you picked Dauntless?"

She shrugs her shoulders. "I needed a change. Doesn't anyone?"

"I guess. But, aren't Amity supposed to be this 'peaceniks' or something?"

She smiles. "Yeah, well, not _all of us_ Amity are 'peaceniks' as you call us."

As she turns to go, I stop her. "Who won the fights?"

"Oh, Mason by a _long shot_...Keira..."

"Keira what? Is she okay?"

"She gave up before it started."

" _What?!_ "

"I know."

"Why'd she do _that_?!"

"Maybe because she saw what happened to you and didn't want to fight."

"She's gonna make herself become _factionless_! Did Lawrence touch her?"

"Nope. Four wouldn't let him. I thought that Keira was an Amity transfer, actually."

"Yeah. She acts like that sometimes."

Anna smiles as she takes out something from her pockets. It was some type of ointment. "May I...?"

I nod. I turn to my bruised side and let her rub that stuff on my ribs. It really felt...good. I thank her. She nods and smiles at me as she goes to leave.

I open the golden letter.

 _Liz._

 _I apologize for the fight. You know that I never want to fight you. I didn't want...I know **you** didn't want anyone to find out about us..._

 _-Thomas_

Typical Thomas. He _would_ give me blue roses. He couldn't let his Erudite blood go. _'Faction before_ _blood'_. I put the letter down and read the next one.

 _Lizzie,_

 _Hope that you're okay. Thomas was an ass for what he's done to you. You should be with me. I would keep you safe from people like...him._

No. Marlon AND Thomas both like me.

* * *

It was dinnertime.

Keira sits next to me and Mason, waving at me. I smile a bit.

"I heard you gave up on Farrah."

Keira shrugs her shoulders.

"Why...?"

She shrugs again as she stirs her peas.

"Keke."

"Stop it! I know I quit! No need for reminders!"

Mason sits her down and says, "Cool it, peeps. Or else we'll get in trouble. Lawrence might be watching..."

"Lawrence has been WEIRD for the past few days...", I say.

They nod.

I feel a tap on my shoulder. Marlon.

"Hey. Can we talk?"

I nod as I leave with him. Mason was making kissy faces at me. I give him 'the bird' and go off with Marlon.

"Where are you taking me?"

"Trust me."

He walks to the chasm.

"Why are we-"

He presses his lips upon mine. My eyes widen and I stammer. "M-m-m..."

"Yes, darling?"

"D-darling...?"

"Yea...is it weird?"

"I-I-I..."

 _Stop it._

"You like Thomas, don't you?"

"No! Thomas is my enemy."

"You guys _really_ have a thing toward each other."

"AND?", I snap. Recovering, I sigh and apologized.

He nods.

"I love you, Liz. Thomas was a jerk for hurting you..."

"It was-"

"I _know_ what it was...it just...doesn't feel right. Putting hands on a female."

"I'm **capable** of handling myself, Marlon."

He kisses my bruised cheek. "I know..."

I touch it without thinking. "Marlon..."

He takes my hands into his and says, "Can I ask you a question...?"

"If you want to marry me, ask my daddy."

"Oh, no...!"

I laugh at his embarrassment.

"I'll think _twice_ before messing with Four!"

"Haha, you're afraid of Daddy!"

He smirks.

"Yeah...will you be willing to like me...?"

I think about it and shrug my shoulder, looking at the ground.

"Thomas is holding you back, Lizzie. Lemme love you."

"I'll think about it. I love the roses, by the way."

"I knew you would. Can I ask something...?"

"Yeah."

"How do you _really_ feel about Erudites?"

"Um...do you really want to hear that...?"

He nods.

"I hate them."

"After Jeanine, right?"

"Yeah."

"How do you feel about Joselyn...?"

"Honestly. I HATE all of them. Except for you...and Thomas...maybe."

"Ah. Lemme ask you something else. What is your knowledge of the Divergents?"

I cringe at that word.

"Is it true that your parents are Divergents?"

"What makes you think that I know that crap!? Who's been gossiping about my family!? It's those Candor bitches, isn't it!"

"Farrah and Brandy have nothing to do with this. I'm just curious."

"Yeah. Right."

"Please believe me, Lizzie."

"Why do you care...?"

"I'm curious. Please ask your parents."

"I'll think about it..."

"I know you're lying."

"How-"

"My mother was a former Candor. Trust me. I. Know."

I shudder. "I will ask them."


	9. Sweet Revenge

"Dad, can I ask a question?"

"Sure."

I managed to find Father in the training field.

"Um...what are we doing tomorrow...?"

"Hmmph. Eager to learn, are ya, sweetie?"

"Uh...yes...?"

I suck at being Candor. I'm a godawful liar.

"Well, we're going to do a paintball training in the morning after breakfast...is that okay with you?"

"Yep. Uh...um..."

"Liz...?", asks Father with a cocked-up eyebrow.

I swallow in my pride, took a deep breath and went on with it.

"Are you and Mother Divergents?"

Father gives me a deadly look and says, "What do you about...that word!? Who told you!"

I stagger back a bit. Fearing that might hit me.

"Um...I was curious...! Honestly!"

I **was** meaning to ask them, anyway...Now I regret asking Father. Mother would've been MUCH more calmer.

"Divergence is _nothing to be discussed about!_ Got it? It's a bad thing..."

"How? Why? Does it have anything to do with Jeanine?"

Father sighs and says, "Nothing for you to worry about."

"I thought that there were supposed to be no secrets between us."

"Just...don't tell your mother. Please?"

I nod slowly. "Sorry for asking..."

Father gets a grip on my shoulder and asks, "Are those...your test results?"

I look at the ground. "I'm not supposed to talk about my test results, remember?"

"Tell me, Elizabeth."

"I'll tell you if you tell me about Divergence."

Father was hesitant for a minute until Mother showed up. He straightens up for a moment and smiles awkwardly. "Hi, honey."

He kisses her and held her in his arms. Mother looks him in the face and asks, "What...are you two up to?"

"Nothing.", we both say.

Mom looks at the both of us and sighs, smiling.

"Sureeee….I'm just going to..."

Mother backs up, hitting the back of her head, and goes out of the room. We both sigh a breath of relief and laugh.

"Mom's such a klutz."

"She's **my** klutz."

"Ugh. Dad. Stop."

Father kisses my cheek. I leave him to his business when I see Farrah and Brandy walk past me, smirking to themselves.

"Hey, Liz…", says Farrah. "Left you a little 'present'."

They both leave. I run to the dormitory, only to find my bed in tatters! Red paint spelling out 'divergent' was on the bedframe...

 _Marlon...he had something to do with this...!_

* * *

At lunch, I took a big stab at my chicken with my fork and put it in my mouth, chewing angrily. I had to clean up my WHOLE bed set, by myself, since I didn't want Mason and Keira seeing and knowing about my Divergence, and I didn't want Thomas worrying. I wanted to figure this whole thing out first, before confiding in anyone else, though Lucy _said_ not to tell anyone, no matter what. Was it backstabbing that I'm doing? I sigh as hot steam was blowing through my nostrils.

"What's up little...dude. Whose face do I have to rearrange this time?", jokes Mason as he sits to the left of me.

"No one yet...", I mumbled.

I didn't want to tell him just yet. I needed proof that the Candor twins knew about me via Marlon's big ass mouth. Keira sits in between us, wincing as she sat, and says, "I heard something about your bed. The twins were bragging about trashing your bed behind your back. Are you ok?"

"Yea..."

"What?", asks Mason. "I wish I could hit girls now...! If anyone messes with you-"

"I'm FINE!"

I sigh as I ate another piece of chicken, stabbing it angrily and blowing nostril steam. Keira and Mason look at each other with worry. I glare at them and mumbled, "What...? I know you don't believe me; I could care less."

Farrah, Brandy and Marlon were sitting together, Farrah and Marlon looking like they were flirting with each other and Brandy being the third wheel. I roll my eyes at the possible shipping between the three and stabbed my chicken again before Keira takes the ray away from me. "Hey!"

"I'm not going to let you torture this precious animal anymore...!", she jokes, trying to hide her notable pain.

I wonder what was wrong with her. She wasn't hurt before. Did she pull something? I didn't want to interrogate her in front of Mason, for he might come down on her too, for he might too hard on her too. She was sensitive to those things...

I take my tray and said, "It's already **dead**. S'not like it had a good life, anyways."

Mason gasps dramatically and falls to the floor. "Lizzie! Do you kiss your **parents** with that mouth!?"

"First off, you're a dork. Second off, was that _necessary_? Third off, no, I don't. Thanks for your concern."

Mason laughs until Father comes into the cafeteria, his dark eyes glaring at every one of us, which made us tense. I slid into my seat.

"It has come to my attention that someone has destroyed someone's bedding in the dormitory..."

 _Omigod..._

I slid further in my seat. I had cleaned it an HOUR ago. How'd he find out, I don't know, but someone WOULD pay for this. Oh, God...Father was going towards the Candor twins' table. His hands slamming the table, he looks them in the eyes and says, "If I find out if the both of you had something to do with this...I'll have you factionless. I know how much you to have it in for my daughter. Leave her alone or-"

"FOOD FIGHT!", I yell out as I flung a spoonful of peas at Mason's face.

Mason, looking stupid, laughs after a while and flung some more peas at me, but ends up hitting Keira's cheek. She rolls her eyes and says, "You two are babies."

"Hey," says Mason with a grin. "We're YOUR babies, babe."

He kisses her cheek.

Keira, rolling her eyes, sinks back into her seat as she sees Father coming towards our table.

"How are you, Liz? Are you okay?"

"Yea. I'm fine, Dad."

Sitting up, I stab my chicken, thought about eating it, and gave it to Mason while standing up to leave. "I'm not hungry anymore."

"Elizabeth-"

"Dad, please...! It's bad enough that you _embarrassed_ me in front of everyone...! That's supposed to be **Mom's** job. No offense to Mom. I don't need any help from ANYBODY! Everyone should just shut up and leave me the hell alone...!"

* * *

After lunch, we go back into combat training. Even though my injuries from my fight with Thomas have slowly healed up, I wanted to get back on the fighting ground. To teach one of those bitchy Candor twins who's boss. To make sure that neither of them mess with anyone else. Thomas sits next to me. Bold for an Erudite, mostly known for their 'intelligence' than their supossed 'boldness'. He whispers in my ear, "Are you okay?"

I nod slightly, not letting him know that I was in pain.

"I'm sorry, Liz. I didn't-"

"I know. Stop it, ok...? I don't need...sympathy right now."

"Is it about what happened at the dormitory?"

I froze. Him too?

"I heard them talking about it. I tried to talk them out of it. Guess it didn't do either of them any good whatsoever."

I shrug my shoulders and say, "Thanks. Didn't know you'd cared so much."

Thomas blushes and says, "I...um. Yea. Just asking, that's all."

I smile. My foot was tapping eagerly. He looks at my foot. "You eager?"

"Yea."

"Farrah or Brandy?"

"Both."

He smirks. "I don't think Four will let you fight."

I shrug. "Father knows better."

My ribs ache. But, I manage to ignore the pain. Father was about to write the names, but Lawrence takes the chalk out of his hands and writes down my name and Brandy's name next to each other.

"Are you nuts? Liz is still _injured_. You're not gonna put my only child in danger...!"

" _Relax_ , Tobias. I see some potential in Elizabeth."

Says the person who nearly tries to KILL her."

Lawrence smirks as he writes the rest of the names down. This time, Mason was up against Thomas first. I nod at both Mason and Thomas. They stood face to face with each other as they go to fight each other. Keira covers her eyes, but I cheer him and Thomas on, covering my mouth quickly. As soon as Thomas hears his name, he says, "Whose side are you on, Dauntless...?"

Mason tackles him as he was distracted. I cover my mouth, both surprised and was about to laugh out loud. Shit. How can I be the good guy without being made fun of? Thomas hit Mason in the face with one punch and out were his lights...Mason goes down, falling backwards. Keira screams and I stood frozen. Thomas helps holding him up as Mason wakes up in a daze, Thomas on his left and my father on his right. Lauren and my mother both looked at each other as Lauren was twirling her blond ponytail. Net was Keira...and Farrah. What? Didn't they face off earlier? Was Lawrence **really** this persistent about Keira fighting Farrah so badly...? Keira's smile falters as she saw her name. I stood up and said, "Keira's not gonna fight her again, Lawrence. Stop making her life a fuckin' living hell!"

Lawrence comes close to my face, sneering. "You tellin' ME what to do, maggot?"

"Someone has to. _Eric._ "

He gives me a creepy grin. "Ok. Keira fails...again."

Keira frowns. I pat her on the back as I was up against Brandy, who was cracking her knuckles. I jump eagerly and go into the middle of he room, waiting for slow ss to hurry up so I can knock her out. Brandy was taking her precious time until she was in front of me, sneering. I sneer back before Lawrence counts us down. I punch her in the ribs, which I missed but I managed an uppercut to her jawline. Brandy growls and kicks me in thhe ribs, making me wince. I tackle her, but she throws me to the ground. I bit her leg, making her cry put, and kick her chin. I push her against the wall and try to smash her head. I pin her to the ground and punch her face over and over until Father pulls me back.

"YOU need to tale a break, sweetie."

"Naw, I'm good now. I'm good now."

I breathe heavily before sitting down with my leg crossed and a smile on my face.


	10. Paintball

The day before Visiting Day, we go for paintball. Early in the morning. Yay...

I lace up my black Camo boots and brush off imaginary dust off of my camo pants. Putting black paint upon my cheeks, I looked like a military soldier in black.

Keira was frowning at the mirror as she was getting dressed up like me.

"Uh-oh. Someone's not happy.", I say.

"I'm okay..."

"Keke, are you still upset over yesterday?"

Before she could answer, Mason jumps into the dormitory, screaming like a monster and bear-hugging Keira and carrying her around the room. "ROOOOAR! I'm a MONSTER!"

Keira giggles and says, "Put me down, you big oaf!"

"Not until I see a smile on your pretty face...!"

Keira smiles slowly and asks, "Can you put me down now...?"

"Alright."

Mason puts her down and hugs her. "Don't be sad, alright?"

Keira slowly wraps her arms around him, hugging him. "Thanks, Mason..."

I smile and say jokingly, "C'mon, you two lovebirds...let's go."

We were about to leave...until I see Marlon.

I glare at him as he was getting his bookbag. As he leaves, he whispers in my ear, "Meet me at the chasm after..."

I look at him as he left. Thomas came and saw me and my friends.

He grabs my arm and pulls me out of the dormitory.

"Hey, what are you-"

"About yesterday. I hear someone, possibly Marlon and the Candors, talking. Are you really Divergent?"

"WOW! I'm the BIGGEST fuckin' name IN HERE! Just scream my name then! Liz 'The Divergent' Prior!"

Thomas covers my mouth and runs off with me.

"Stop. Saying. That."

"Why should I...?"

"I can't..."

Thomas looks left and right then I see two shadows moving. I hear someone cackling from a distance and I shiver as I recognized it.

 _Lawrence._

He was laughing with some female but I didn't know who it was. As they left, Thomas says, "Be careful if you _are_ Divergent, alright...?"

"Why do _you care_ , anyway?! You're a toad when people are around!"

"And you think that Marlon likes you...? He's using you, Lizzie."

"Like you...?"

Thomas frowns. "You think that? If I was using you, I wouldn't be telling you to be careful! Being Divergent, Liz, I DANGEROUS! Ask your parents!"

"You AND Marlon ask me to do that. Why...?"

Thomas was about to talk until Keira and Mason came towards us. Keira points to her wrist, indicating that we had to leave...now. I run off with them as we met up in the training field, where Father was waving at me, and Mother was smiling at us, her face covered in black paint like mines was.

"Alright, you guys. Get a gun and some paintballs; we're going to the carnival. We're going to be split up into two teams. Me and Lawrence are going to be your team captains."

"Dad, is it _really_ a good idea to make _HIM_ a team captain? Why not make Mom a leader?", I hiss into his ear, looking at Lawrence, who was smirking evilly and it was making me nauseous.

"Your mother's going to be a co-leader with me."

"Ugh. Mom's being useless...YOU'RE making her useless!", I joke.

"No...well..."

"Dad."

"I'm joking."

"Dad? Making jokes? Is there some type of gas in the air that we should be aware about, Father?"

"Get in line, will ya?"

I laugh as I stand next to Keira, who was looking more depressed.

"Are you okay...?"

She shrugs her shoulders. "Maybe..."

"Keira."

"Liz."

"Be okay, please."

"Ok."

"Hope we'd be on the same team, guys!", says Mason as he wraps his strong arms around our necks.

"Do you NOT know how strong you are...?", I joke.

"So...?"

" _So_...GET OFF!"

I push him off, but he ends up bumping into Farrah, who scowls, "Watch it!"

"My bad, girl...damn."

Mason wipes off his camo pants and offers his hand to help her, but she sneers at him and gets up herself. I sneer at her when Mason trudges back to us. Father rolls his eyes and says, "Get in line."

"I'm pickin' first, Four.", says Lawrence with a scowl.

"Fine."

"Farrah."

"YES!", says Farrah as she runs off next to Lawrence with a smirk on her face, which made me sick. How was I NOT surprised that she was picked first...? Keira looked at her with fear and looked down at her feet. I wondered what was making Keira so nervous. Was being Dauntless making her lose control? She was making me nervous, but I didn't WANT to be nervous!

"I take Liz.", says Father.

I fist-pump the air and go to Dad, who hugs me.

"Aw, look at Daddy's princess!", Brandy says with a squeal.

"Watch your mouth, bitch!"

"Make me!"

"Stop it, you two.", says Father, with Mother wrapping her arms around my waist.

Lawrence smirks and says, "Not so soft anymore, are ya...?"

"I was **never** soft to BEGIN with, Lawrence!"

Just then, Uncle Caleb comes into the training field. His dark hair in waves like Justin Bieber. Wearing black jeans and a blue shirt. I wonder if Uncle Caleb was helping my parents. "Are you guys starting your 'paintball war' or whatever?"

"YES, Caleb.", says Father with an irritated look on his face.

"Oh. Sorry, Mister Badass."

Father growls and says, "Keira, you're with me."

"M-m-me? I-I-I-"

"Come ON, dude!", I say as I grab her arm.

"Brandy.", says Lawrence. "You're with me. And what is with HER? Are you _trying_ to lose, Four?"

" _No..._ I'm being smart."

"Your move then... _Tobias._ "

Father glares at him. "Don't know who Tobias is. Mason."

"Marlon."

"Thomas."

I cringe. "Dad...?"

"Is there a problem..?"

"No. What are you planning anyway...?"

"Don't worry abut it.", says Father as he slowly smiles. I smile too. I feel like Father was planning a 'brains vs. brawns' thing. Exciting.

Marlon goes to Brandy and Farrah, who were whispering to each other and looking at me.

I didn't trust the twins **nor** do I trust Marlon, now that he and the twins know of my Divergence. Should I be worried? No. They don't scare me. I'm not letting those Candor scum near Keira, though I don't know what was making her so nervous. But, I DO know that it had something to do with Farrah, and I have to do anything and _everything_ to take them out! Mason holds Keira into his grasp and nuzzles her neck with his nose. I look at them and smile. Mason and Keira have been very cozy lately. Marlon looks at me and smirks and nods at me. I sneer and turn to Thomas, who was looking at me with worried eyes. I nod at Thomas and mouth, "Trust me."

I knew that he was afraid of what I would do by the look on his face. Thomas smiles as he sees me smile.

After both Lawrence and Father pick Dauntless-born kids, we split up.

"I'll let you go first.", says Lawrence.

"Don't do me any damn favors.", says Father.

"Heh. Be second, then. It'll won't matter anyways...you'll lose. Team Lawrence! MOVE OUT!"

They left and we go after them. We go to the old carnival.

Mason lowly whistles and says, "Remember this place used to be legit?"

Most of the merry-go-round was broken up. The horses scratched and their heads broken off. That's where our hideout was. Uncle Caleb was with us, analyzing the horses and his surroundings.

"Yeah...not really. That was like, what, in the sixties? Fifties? Back when Uncle Caleb, Mother and Father weren't so old?", I joke.

Mother pulls on my ear and says, "We're not that old, you know."

"Yeah...right."

"Come on.", says Father.

"I'm not old...", says Unc, feeling left out.

I rub his back and smile. "I'm messing with you, Unc."

"What's the plan, Stan?", asks Mason with a cocked eyebrow.

"Defense.", says a Dauntless-born kid with bronze skin. Shiny teeth.

 _Like Chip Skylark._

"It's all about defense. Wait for the enemy to come to US then BOOM! We ambush 'em!", he continues.

"No way, Wyatt.", says a blonde Dauntless with a spider tattoo on her neck. "We go at 'em _right away!_ "

"We don't know _where they are_!"

"YOU don't but _I do_..."

"Whatever, Nyla. I'm defense!"

"Offense!"

"Defense!"

"Whoa, whoa!", says Mason, splitting in the middle of them. "Let's think this over."

"Howard, move!", says Nyla, pushing him. "We need a plan!"

"I CAME UP WITH ONE!", screams Wyatt.

As they were arguing, Father had his back against the wall of the merry-go-round, rolling his eyes, while Mother was sighing to herself. Uncle Caleb was trying to reason with them, but they weren't listening. I laugh at them, but in the corner of my eye, I saw Thomas walking away from us. I follow him without being seen.

I see him climbing up the Ferris Wheel.

 _Good God..._

I follow him without being seen until my hand nearly slips from its' grip on the railing. I let a cry of fear come out of my mouth without thinking about it. Thomas looks up and looks down in my direction. He climbs down and comes to my direction, pulling me up and holding me into his arms.

"Well, well, well. Looks like little Miss Dauntless wanted me to herself."

"NO! I was seeing what the...hell...you're up to."

I couldn't help myself but to look down. Thomas goes back to climbing up the Ferris Wheel. I hesitate for a bit. Thomas looks down, his brown hair in his face, and asks, "Comin'?"

I look at him as if it was my first time meeting him. I nod and climb up slowly and carefully. Thomas grabs a hold of my hand and sits me next to him. I was breathing heavily and checking my forehead for heat and sweat. " _Good God, Thomas! Are you fucking human!?_ "

"Sorry, Lizzie. Are you okay? Are you-"

"Afraid? Me? Never! I'm Dauntless through and through."

Thomas cocks an eyebrow up and looks at me. "Are you sure, Liz...? You can tell me."

"Ok. Fine. I'm afraid of heights...like Dad."

"Your dad's afraid of **heights**?"

"Tell anyone and I'll kill you."

"Promise."

I sigh. "Sorry for the hostility, Thomas."

"Do you need a break?"

I shake my head, even though I REALLY wanted to say yes.

Thomas climbs higher and I follow him, with him holding on to me like a kid. As we get to the top, he wraps his whole arm around my waist so I wouldn't fall off. We both look down.

"See that...? I see Lawrence's fat head.", he says as he was pointing to the misty trees.

I giggled and see where he was pointing at. His team was in the middle of the carnival. I also see the Candor twins and Marlon standing next to each other. I sneer at them. Thomas looks at me and asks me if I was alright. I shrug one shoulder and nod.

"S'nothing. Have you talked to Keira lately?"

"I mean about yesterday? I saw the whole thing. Farrah was preparing herself while Keira was hesitating. Keira told your father that she didn't want to fight her, but Farrah was upset with Keira for backing out and threatened her."

"What did she say...?"

"Farrah said...something about no chickens in Dauntless...? Well, anyway. Lawrence was about to give her the same treatment as you, but Four stopped him before he got a chance to do it. After the fights, Farrah grabbed Keira and attacked her with Brandy..."

I look at him for a while with my mouth partially open. No wonder she was wincing. I sneer.

"Can I continue? I mean...do you WANT me to continue?", he asks.

I nod, even though I didn't want to know. "Please. Was **Marlon** there?"

"He was watching, but he didn't report it. I did, though. Four made them clean the dormitory."

"He shoulda made them be factionless."

"Lawrence wouldn't allow it."

"Fuck that! Keira coulda DIED!"

"He doesn't care; he wants us to be tough."

"I hate being Dauntless now."

"Me too."

I look at him.

"Are you okay, Lizzie?"

"Maybe...are you...um...you know. Do you miss it over at Erudite?"

He shrugs. "Not as much. Joselyn isn't really, well wasn't...you know."

"Yeah."

"Do you like Marlon?"

I shudder. "I-I...don't...know."

"Marlon's not good. He's...shady."

"Why are you so interested in us all of a sudden?"

"Because..."

He cups my face into his hands and kisses me. "I'm worried abut you."

I pull away. "Maybe we should get down."

I was going to climb down. As I was a few feet down, my grip slipped and I nearly fall until I grabbed another railing. As I regain my balance, I lose my grip again! Thomas jumps down and grabs a hold of me. Thomas falls into a cart and I land on his lap. Lost into his eyes, I kiss his mouth for a few minutes. I pull away quickly, fearing what the outcome would be, and started climbing down again, my hand slipping and me holding on to dear life.

"Thomas, help!"

He climbs down quickly.

 _Where's he going...?! He's supposed to HELP me! Not leave!_

As I was dangling, I cringe as I hear the squeak of the Ferris Wheel. I laugh hysterically and nearly cry. Thomas must have turned on the Ferris Wheel. I climb out of the cart as I land on the ground, hugging Thomas and kissing his cheek without thinking.

"Um...let's go back.", I say, pulling away, but I accidently bump into Nyla, who was glaring.

"Are you _trying_ to get us caught!? I'm not going to _lose for another YEAR_ because of you damn babies!"

"At least we know where they are!", says Thomas, his eyes glaring at her.

"What the hell you mean?"

"We found where they are; they're in the middle of the carnival as we speak."

Nyla nods with approval. I push past her. "We don't need YOUR approval; we KNOW we did great, unlike YOU, who kept picking fights with Wyatt all five minutes!"

Father nods as he wraps his arm around my neck. He must of heard us as everyone was coming towards us. "You guys should learn from these two."

Nyla rolls her bluish-green eyes while Wyatt looks at the ground. Keira and Mason look at us and smile. Keira was looking much better.

"What's the plan, Stan?", asks Mason. I look at Thomas but he was too busy looking at me. _Everyone was!_

"Um...we go charging in. Without making noise and ambush them when they aren't paying attention."

We all go over to the middle of the carnival in stealth mode, then we ambushed them.

Mason aims at a girl with orange hair and a snake tattoo on her arm and she throws her paint gun in frustration.

Keira aims at Brandy and misses at first but makes it the second time. Brandy growls and was about to attack her, but I hit her with my elbow. We see the flag as it stood still unguarded. I was about to go after it, but I stopped, thinking about Keira. She needed this more than me.

"Go, Keke."

"Are you-"

"GO!"

Keira runs towards the flag and nabs it, holding it in the air. "Suck it, Team Lawrence!", she says.

Mason cheers and holds her up in his arms. She smiles at him then at me. All of Team Lawrence groaned in disgust. Marlon growls and slams his paint gun on the ground and covers his face with his hands. Mason hugs Keira and kisses her cheek. Keira looks at him and kisses his lips. I gasp and laugh while I clapped.

"Ship! _Ship!_ "

Thomas walks towards me and wraps his arm around my neck. "Nice one, Dauntless."

"Thanks, Erudite…"


	11. Visiting Day!

The day was here. Visiting Day. The day when families of transferred faction kids come ('if they come') to visit their kids. Again. If they come. Most times they never visit. Mostly because they see their kids as traitors for leaving their factions. I don't blame them. _Our_ families come to us and we do Dauntless things. Whatever they are, of course. I was with my parents and Uncle Caleb, who was more of a background character nowadays. We walk together to the Pit as we saw Keira and her mother hugging, along with her youngest sister, Nia. I run towards them and Mother hugs Keira's mother for a while before Father broke them up.

"Enough, you two. You're embarrassing yourselves. And our children."

"Well, YOU'RE the one to talk, Four!", says Keira's mom, who laughs as she slides a lock of her short hair behind her ear, like how Keira does. I wonder if that was a habit.

If you're wondering, Keira's mother is none other than my mother's friend and my father's student, Christina. Former Candor turned into a Dauntless Instructor. Yay...

"I remember how annoying you were."

" _I_ remember how annoying _you_ were, Four! Always, blah, blah, blah this and that! Talking off Tris' poor ears!", says Christina with a joke to her voice.

"Stop it, Chris.", says Mother as she jokingly puts herself between the both of them.

Keira sighs as her little sister giggles. I roll my eyes and wrap my arm around her shoulders.

"S'okay, Keke! Just enjoy Visiting Day!"

"Alright, I guess."

She smiles.

"Is your dad coming?"

"Nope. I know that he never visits."

Keira's dad, I've only met a few times, was a pale man with curly black hair. He left the family about a few years ago. I felt bad for them. Not only that Keira has no father in her life, but Christina's former love died a long time ago (thanks to Mom accidently). Even though Miss Christina's former flame was a former Erudite, he wasn't one of _those_ Erudite scum. He was pretty cool with our mothers.

"Sorry for asking."

Why _do_ you ask if you know that he never shows up...?"

"I wanna know."

"Stop it."

"Sorry. _Keke_."

"I'm not...I'm just...I don't wanna talk about him anymore, please."

I nod. "Sorry."

Nia looks at the both of us and says, "Don't fight, you guys."

"We're not fighting.", I say. "We're talking."

I wrap my arms around Keira's waist and hug her. Keira hugs back and looks over to the Candor twins who were hugging their parents. Typical that they came. Ugh. Did their parents know how monstrous their twin girls were! God, they were disgusting! Farrah was hugging a bald, tall and skinny man (who I assumed who was their gross father), who was dressed into a black suit and a crisp white shirt. Brandy, on the other hand, was joking and laughing with her ugly mother, who was wearing a white and black striped dress, her blonde hair into a ponytail and was wearing black rimmed glasses. Keira was staggering back a bit but I grab her wrist and say, "I'm not letting either of them hurt you again. Got it?"

"I'm-"

" _No excuses!_ I'm your guardian angel...well. Guardian _devil_.", I say with a smirk.

Keira smirks back.

Mason was walking with his older sister, Cora and his parents. Mason's mom was a stick-skinny woman with long blonde hair and his step-dad was big as a boulder with a tattoo of a dragon on his left forearm and had a tall mohawk haircut. Cora, who was eighteen and my new best friend, had her blonde hair dyed in purple and black, and her black tube top showed her collarbone, revealing a tattoo of a seagull.

I shake his step-dad's hand and nod at his direction.

Mason's real father died last year due to heart failure.

I saw on my left that Thomas was talking to two people and a little girl was hugging him from the waist. I nearly turned paler than usual.

 _Crap._

The two adults saw me looking at me. I tried to look away, but the lady growled and stormed over to me.

I try to run, but she grabs my wrist and turns my body around and brings her face close to mine.

"You have _a lot of_ nerve showing your face here!", she says.

"Caroline, please.", says Father.

"Four, please. Your daughter has caused our son so much _pain_!"

"It was a long time ago!", I argue.

"Shut up!"

Caroline was Thomas' annoying mother and I hate her. Stupid Erudite.

"Why would you come here, Thomas, knowing that this... _parasite_ was here!?"

"This 'parasite' is right here, dumb ass.", I say.

"Don't talk about my mother like that, Elizabeth!", says Thomas as he tries to take me away from his mother's grasp, but I move away from him, going to Keira's side. She looks at me and says to Caroline, "We were doing just fine, Thomas, until your 'mother' came. Why can't you guys all just get along?"

"Keke, stop being a damn Amity for a minute and lemme kill this-"

" _Liz._ ", says Father.

I look at him and sigh. "You're lucky."

I go over to my father and hug him.

Caroline smirks and says, "Typical being the only kid from two former Abnegation _garbage_! Or should I say D-"

"Mom, drop it!", yells Thomas, his face turning red.

I look at him then back at her. Was she about to say... _Divergent?_

I go to her while she and the rest of the Erudite trash family walk away, but Mason grabs my waist before I get angry. Then, I remember. I was supposed to meet up with Marlon at the chasm.

"I'll be back...", I say.

"Dude...don't go chasing after them.", warns Mason.

"I'm _not._ "

I go off to the chasm, but I didn't notice Thomas following me from behind. I go inside the chasm when I saw Marlon with a slender caramel-colored woman with cherry red lips.

 _Joselyn._

"Joselyn. Marlon...why is she here?"

"She wanted to see you.", he says as he 'glares' at her. (I put that in empathies for something I'll explain later.)

"What...is it? Is this why you wanted me to come here?"

"Yeah..."

Joselyn comes close to my face and smiles. "Cute girl, Marlon."

"I'm **not** cute, lady. I'm tough. Like a Dauntless. Why are you here? Trying to go to war again?"

"Heh. You're funny. Abnegation took something of ours...we need it back."

"What the hell did they take?"

"You guys. Your parents' little 'selfless' faction has things that **nobody else has...** and it's sickening. Why should the **factionless** need for if they're not going to use it...? Those sleazy criminals don't need _your help;_ they need to help themselves."

"The only selfish thing I'm smelling is YOU. Joselyn, we don't need no more war. Much as I like blowing things up...NO! No more! My friends wouldn't want war! I don't want it, either. So, leave us alone... _Jeanine._ "

Joselyn smirks and says, "You're a bright young lady...I don't see why you haven't transferred to us."

"I **hate** Erudite."

"Marlon mentioned it a few times..."

"What?!"

I turn to him. "Were you talking about ME?! How could you!?"

" **Good** things, Liz.", says Marlon.

"No...I don't trust you now."

"Why...? You like Thomas?"

"Thomas...?", asks Joselyn. Then she smirks. "Aw, yes. One of my favorite Erudites."

"Thomas is a toad...", I say.

"Though you kiss him now and then." says Marlon smirking.

"No!", I say with a hint of blush on my face.

Thomas hides from us as he tries to eavesdrop on our conversation, trying so hard not to attack Marlon nor Joselyn.

Joselyn yawns and says, "Well...I'm bored. I'll see you around, Marlon."

She kisses the top of his head as she leaves, without seeing Thomas. She turns around to say, "You know what, Elizabeth? You would've been an **excellent** addition to my faction...knowing how smart and graceful you are."

I stare at her as she left.

 _What...?_

Marlon stares at me. "Candors never lie, you know."

"Shut up. What the hell were you doing with **her**?!"

"She was visiting."

" _Why...?_ "

"She wanted to see you."

"Does she know...about the Divergents?"

"She was talking to me about that. She was searching for them."

"You mean, people like ME? Right...?"

"Shh. Before she comes back."

"Let 'er come back."

"Stop."

"NO! Joselyn is EVIL. You said so _yourself_!"

"I did, didn't I...Hmm."

"Don't act innocent. You're friends with those stupid Candor girls! You let them almost **murder** Keira! You were...you... _you're horrible!_ "

"I'm not the one you should be arguing with. Thomas, remember?"

"What about HIM?"

"You like him. Either pick him or me. I'm more trustworthy than him. He only brings you down in public then loves you when you're alone. I'll never do that."

"Liar. Do you REALLY hate Joselyn...?"

He shrugs his shoulders and kissed my cheek. I touch it without thinking and look him in the eye. "I feel like you're doing the same thing as him..."

"Yet, he was trying to use you to Joselyn's advantage."

I turn to that voice and I spot Thomas.

"Marlon is a spy, Liz. Don't trust him."

"Dude...I thought we were homies...", says Marlon.

"How can I be friends with someone whose mother wants to kill all Divergents and bring war upon the Abnegation again? Trying to recruit Liz and the others to kill and destroy, knowing Liz's nature of recklessness."

I turn paler than usual again.

"Joselyn...is your **mother**?!"

"I-I don't know what the hell you two are engaging in? These accusations are intimidating!"

Marlon storms off, kissing my cheek again and glaring at Thomas, who sneers at him as he leaves. I turn to face Thomas, who was blushing at me.

"Sorry about my mom."

"Whatever. I'm not fazed by your mother's smart aleck mouth..."

Thomas smirks and kisses my lips. I push him away.

"My head is all confused..."

"Look. I'll be more careful with your feelings. You know that."

"I..."

"Liz, trust me."

I nod slowly and kissed him.


	12. Virtual Nightmares

The second part of initiation, I knew, was going to be difficult...all because of simulations. Remember in the beginning that I was in a simulation by drinking some kind of liquid...? Yeah. It's that...only using needles. I hate needles. Needles bug me (and Erudites). Ever since I was little, I was _nervous_ about getting my shots from the doctors! I once even kicked the needle out of the doctor's **hand**! All of us Dauntless members go into the simulation room as we await our simulation shots. I shiver and shake in the inside. I didn't want to get ANY type of shot! This was the test of fears...I knew this because Father told me. He, Mom, Christina, Lauren AND Lawrence were all here. I cringe as I saw Lawrence, who had this weird look in his eye. I didn't trust him, Marlon, ANYONE in particular! Yet, I wondered where was Uncle Caleb was. Probably somewhere. I knew that he'd be some type of interested in how the process worked. Mason pats the top of my head while he gave Keira's hand a squeeze. Keira was shaking the hardest, but Mason kissed her on the cheek and told her that everything was going to be alright and to trust both him and me. I nod at them, even thought I was scared **myself**! Damn these stupid needles! Father came in front of us and said, "Ever heard of the term 'fear your fears'? Well, in Dauntless, we're taking that seriously. We're going to inject you, put you in a simulation for you to face those fears head-on. It'll stop if you don't panic. Keep calm and everything'd be okay. Got it?"

"They'll never gonna make it, _Tobias._ ", says Lawrence, rolling his eyes and shaking his head. "I have my bets that the Candor twins will survive."

"You SURE have a lot of faith in those two troublemakers."

"They're my favorites so far."

"Hmm. Not surprise. Do you LIKE messing with people...?"

"Maybe...any problem... _Tobias..._?"

"You REALLY want to get fuckin' knocked out..."

" _Four,_ ", says Mother as she tries to hold him back. "Stop it, you two."

"Woof.", says Christina as she comes towards them, along with Uncle Caleb, his hair neatly straightened and was wearing a blue bowtie with his black shirt. "When you told me, Tris, that these two were on each others' dicks all of the time during the initiation...you _weren't kiddin'!_ "

"Not funny, Christina..."

"What? I'm being **honest**!"

Mom sighs as she wraps her arms around Dad's torso and says, "Calm down, alright...?"

"Fine.", says Dad. "I'll deal with you later, Lawrence."

"Whatever...", says Lawrence, rolling his eyes.

"Caleb, what's with the TIE?!", asks Father, glancing at his tie.

"What...? Not a good look..?"

"Makes you look... _Erudite_."

Caleb looks at himself and says, "So..?"

Fearing a fight might break out between them, Mother gets into the middle of them, glaring at both men and says, "Knock it off, guys. Act your age in front of the children..."

Father and Uncle Caleb glance at each other and scoffed.

"Keira, you're first.", says Mom, shaking her head at them, as she comes towards Keira.

"Mrs. Eaton, are you SURE about this...?", she says, her hands shaking.

"It's okay, Keira."

I hug her and Mason kisses her cheek. She nods, stands up and goes with my mother while Farrah's bitchy self wants to intimidate her!

"Fail, Keira, fail! Go throw yourself in the chasm!"

"Yeah!", says Brandy. "Throw yourself!"

"MOM! Make them stop!", I say, jumping to my feet, but Mason grabs on my wrist. "Chill out, Liz. You can do this, babe!"

"Yeah! Go, Keke!", I say, clapping my hands with him.

Keira nods sadly and goes into the simulation room.

I couldn't help myself but to feel bad for her. Keira didn't deserve this treatment! I automatically knew what her fear was. Farrah and Brandy. As I saw Keira go into the room with my mother, I couldn't help myself but to think about my meeting with Joselyn and Marlon. I COULDN'T believe that she was his _mother_! People DO say 'good minds think alike'. I sigh as I kept on glancing at my watch, but my heart races as I hear her screams. I try to race in there, but Lawrence grabs my wrist. "You know the rules, Liz."

"LEMME GO, DAMMIT!"

"Never!"

I couldn't believe he was **doing this**!

"Lemme go! Keke!"

I bit his hand, making him wince, and try to go in there, but Mother was already coming out, with Keira sobbing in her arm. I hug Keira but she pushes me away.

"Keira...", I say with a concerned look on my face.

"No. I don't need any comfort...I'm..."

Keira storms out of the room with her mother, Christina, following her. Mason looks at me with worry. I look at him back. Farrah and Brandy laugh as she left and they whisper in Marlon's ear. He nods and smiles at the girls. Marlon looks at Farrah as she flutters her eyes at him flirtingly and it was making me...nauseous and jealous.

 _Gross! Don't think this! Marlon is the enemy here! Marlon is NOT to be trusted right now. Only Thomas can be trusted...I hope. I hate this...right now. I need to breathe...Breath, Liz, breathe._

It was my turn. Mother motions me to come with her, but I was being hesitant right now. My breathing was abnormal and I was turning paler than my normal pale. I slowly go with her, but I sense that the Candor twin glaring at me, their glares cutting me through my body like a knife but I try to ignore it. But what's making me feel WORSE was Marlon looking at me! But, Thomas waves at me shyly with a little smile on his face and it calmed me down. I wanted to stay and see the Candor twins and Marlon's fears. Thomas' fears, too. But, I knew I couldn't argue with my mother. I go into the room with my mother as she takes out a clean needle. As she positions herself to give me my shot, she says, "Are you ready...? I know how much you hate shots. Tell me if you-"

"MOM! I got this….give me that shot already...!", my voice sounding high-pitched but steady.

"Okay..."

Mother gives me the shot and I close my eyes after a minute.

* * *

I look around me and sigh as I was in my room. My house. But, yet I didn't trust it. I look around me until I saw a reflection in the mirror. It was Marlon's. I turn to look back at me, but there was no one there. I look at the mirror again, but this time, it was Farrah! I turn quickly again. No one. AGAIN! I growl and punched the mirror, breaking the glass and making my hand bloodied up. I cry out in pain as I sit on the couch, only to have a single hand cover my mouth and my eyes being blindfolded. I was being taken upstairs and tied up to a single chair. My mouth was screaming for help, but no words managed to come out. Shit. As the blindfold was removed from my eyes, I see Marlon and Farrah. Smirks on their faces and angry eyes glaring at me.

"Well, well. Seems to me we've got ourselves a _Divergent_...", says Farrah in a threating tone.

Marlon, on the other hand, was staring at me with wistful eyes. I hated it.

"What the hell is Divergent?", I ask, playing dumb.

"Shut up!", Farrah says as she slaps me in the face, her handprint on my cheek.

I glare at her and says, "Lemme go, you bastard! I ain't no whatchamacallit!"

"Yes, you are! Marlon told us!"

"Marlon is a liar! Did he also tell you that Joselyn-"

Marlon quickly covers my mouth again before he says, "Shut up! You damn Divergent! They're not wanted here! Like you!"

I manage to get myself loose and grab the front of Farrah's shirt. "Says the person of Kiera's fears! What's all that about jumping her, huh? What the hell? Keira didn't deserve that, you bitch!"

Farrah punches me, which I ducked and I manage to grab her arm and twist it. Farrah cried out and kicks me in the side of my ribs, but I bit her leg. We fall on the ground and we wrestle, but Marlon seperates us.

"Admit it, you bitch!", says Farrah. "You're a Divergent! Divergents deserve to die!"

"Why do we?!"

"None of your business! Tell us!"

"No! I'm not one of them!"

"Tell the truth!"

"No, no, NO!"

* * *

"Liz...LIZ!"

"I'm not one of them!"

"Lizzie, sweetie!"

"I'm not..."

I wake up quickly, shivering from the simulation. I look around me and I see my mother next to me, looking worried.

"Liz...maybe you should go lay down."

"No. I'm fine."

"Liz-"

" _I'm fine!_ "

I get up and left the room, not looking at anyone, not even Thomas, who was looking worried as well. As I go to the dormitory, I spot Keira and her mother. I go back, but quickly peeked out of the doorway as if not to be seen.

"I knew I've should have gone to Amity, Mother."

"You KNOW Amity is boring!"

"It's better than HERE! Amity is where I calm down..."

"So, you want to be like your father, huh?"

"Amity is in MY blood, Mom! Like how Candor's still in yours! You can't even keep your MOUTH shut for five SECONDS!"

"My mouth is NONE of your concern, young lady!"

"It should be."

"You want to be an Amity?"

"I feel more calmer if I was one."

My heart sank. Keira's father was a former Amity...I knew that Christina was a former Candor, but I never knew her father was Amity. Was being half-Amity what she was trying to tell me? I shouldn't have made fun of her for acting like one of those Amity bozos. I feel really bad now. I wanted to go in there, but I go off to the chasm. It calms me down. As I go there, I see Father looking down in the chasm. His face calm and uncertain. I go over to him and touch his hand.

"Dad...?"

He turns. "Liz...? I thought that..."

"I couldn't handle it."

"Was it the needles?"

"No...it was...more."

"Aw, Lizzie."

Father hugs me. I hug him back, not letting him go for a second.

Now _I_ wanted to leave Dauntless. But, I knew that I couldn't give up. Not yet, anyway. I have to get through this. I just got to. I wasn't going to let anyone stop me. Not even Joselyn and Marlon.


	13. Liz & Thomas

I wake up the next morning on my own, since I couldn't find Keira. I hope nothing had happened to her. Maybe she left with Mason, since I don't see him as well. As I go into the bathroom to wash off and change into my skinny jeans and black hater top, there was a note laid upon my bed. I read it and turned red with anger.

 _"Divergent scum'._

I crumple it into a ball and threw it in the waste basket. Which missed. I pick it up and throw it into the basket. Marlon comes into the dormitory with his curly dark hair still wet from the shower and was wearing nothing but some jeans. I avert my eyes as I was tying my black Converses.

"So, Marlon. Any idea on the note?", I ask, still tying my shoes.

"What note...?"

I chuckle and came to his bed after tying my shoes, sitting next to him as he dries his hair. "Don't. Play. Dumb. Was it you? Or the Candor bitches? Only you three know."

"Doesn't Thomas know too?"

I forgot about him, but I knew that he didn't do it. "Stop being an idiot, Erudite. I KNOW that Erudites aren't stupid."

"Yet, you CALL us stupid.", says Marlon as he puts on a black shirt with blue stripes.

"Brave of you for wearing blue."

"Brave of you for keeping your secret."

I froze.

"Stop talking about it. Marlon, you're a traitor."

"That's your opinion, and yet, you can't keep your hands off me AND Thomas."

I get up angrily and say, "I'm done with you."

I tie my newly short hair back into a braid and left. Marlon whistles sexily after I leave. I poke my head in the room and give him the bird.

As I exit, I bump into someone, knocking us down. I shake off dust from behind me and helped...Thomas up. I pull my hand after I helped him up. Blushing, I say, "Hey..."

He nods and smiles. "Hey. Saw your little freak-out. What was that all about?"

I shrug and mumble, "Stupid simulations..."

"You thought they're real...? Aren't Divergents suppose to know the difference?"

"Yeah...", I say before I did a double-take. "How do you know about..."

"I'm Erudite, remember? I know about them. Like I know about your parents being Divergent rebels."

My mouth fell open. Thomas looked at me worried. "Didn't your parents talk to you about that...?"

I shake my head. "How'd you know?"

"Again. I'm Erudite. You can't leave out ANY information. Even if you wanted to, in that case, we didn't want to. Think of it as...like...'why should we care about other peoples' feelings?' type of thing. I know it sounds Candor, but it still applies to us anyway."

My heart and stomach sunk. _I_ should know that feeling. For I treated people like that...and Thomas treats me like that. He looks at me and automatically knew what I was thinking and kisses me.

"I'm sorry. Lemme make it up to you..."

Thomas takes me by the hand, his fingers laced into mines, and takes me to the Pit and we head into the tattoo parlor. Thomas high-fives Bruce and I wave at him and...

"Lucy."

Lucy hugs me and Thomas. "I see that this one is the person you got a heart for..."

"What….?" Thomas looks at me sheepishly. I blush and say, "No..."

"Why did you get a heart for? Didn't you say you love someone?", asks Lucy.

Thomas eyes me and smiles slowly. "You thought of me...? _Awww!_ "

I roll my eyes as I show him the heart tattoo on my wrist. "I admit it. I WAS thinking about you when I got it. Tell anyone...you're dead."

Lucy smiles her missing front-toothed smile. "Want a tattoo...um...?"

"Thomas, ma'am."

"Thomas. Nice name."

"Yes...and yes, I'll _love_ a tattoo."

Thomas sits in the recliner and whispers something in Lucy's ear. She perks up and nods as she gets a needle and properly rubs alcohol on his arm. I cock an eyebrow at them. What did Thomas say to Lucy? She writes something upon his arm. I search his face to see any tears so I could laugh at him, but little o' me should've known that his face would be expressionless. I roll my eyes and look at the walls, which were covered with pictures of different tattoos, which I can admit, they were impressive. I want another tattoo now. I sigh as I grew impatient. What was taking them so freakin' long?! Thomas gets up slowly and hides his arm behind his back. Thomas was wearing a black muscle-shirt, which was both intimidating and embarrassing, given him muscles, and smiles sheepishly at me.

"What was your tattoo, Marshall...?", I joke.

Thomas shakes his head before I grab his left am to see. Lucy smiles at the both of us. My smile, however, falters as I see his tattoo...

"You got my name tattooed...?"

 _Liz Eaton_

Thomas nods as he kisses my lips. I hug and whisper in his ear, "Can you wait for a minute?"

He nods.

"Lucy, can I talk to you...?", I ask.

Lucy smiles as we head to the back of the parlor.

"I know what you're gonna ask.", says Lucy with a small smile on her face.

"I already know. Do you know about my parents being Divergent?", I say, my voice on edge.

"You mean the 'great and famous' Tris Prior and Tobias Eaton...?", she says in a grand voice.

I laugh and nod.

"Yes. They're Divergent rebels. But..."

"Why haven't they told me...?"

"They're trying to protect you, probably."

"Father knows about me...I had to tell him. Thomas knows about me. Three others know about me, Lucy. And I didn't HAVE to tell them!"

"Was one of them named Marlon?"

"How'd-"

"I do my research."

"You do _a lot_ of research."

"I know," she says with a smile. "It's my talent."

I look at my feet. "I'm scared. What if I get killed? Or my friends?"

"The war is over; you can relax."

"I met Joselyn, Lucy! She could KILL ME!"

"Liz."

It was Thomas.

"Your boyfriend's waiting.", she says with a wink.

"Yea, he...… _HEY!_ "

Lucy smiles and hugs me.

"You STILL, by the way, haven't told me how you know my parents."

"From a friend. A really...good friend."

"But-"

She puts her fingers on my lips and hugs me. I go to leave, waving at Lucy, who waves back.

I go and meet up with Thomas and we hold hands again while he kisses my lips.


	14. The Truth of Divergence

"Dad, I don't want to do this..."

"I know, Liz, but you have to be strong. Faction before blood, remember?"

I nod. I look my father in the face and smile. Mom smiles at us while Uncle Caleb was too busy studying the computer. Mother gives him a look, which meant to go and encourage me. Uncle Caleb looks at my mother, then at me and Father.

"You can do this, Elizabeth. These...simulations things...are nothing but...an _incredible_ experience!"

Mother laughs while Father scowls. I laugh. "Uncle Caleb, you're such a background character!"

"It's not my fault that your father doesn't include me in your activities."

Father rolls his eyes and simply replies, "You're not important enough to participate in our activities. Besides..." He grins as he says this sarcastically. "I don't want you to hurt yourself."

Mother laughs uncontrollably before quickly covering her mouth. "Sorry."

Uncle Caleb mumbles sadly while Father smirks. I roll my eyes and laugh.

"I love you, Dad..."

Father kisses my cheek and squeezes my hand gently before injecting me with the orange-liquid colored needle on my neck. My eyes close within a minute.

"What do these computers do anyway?", asks Uncle Caleb.

"The serum that I injected Liz with has a tiny transmitter in it, projecting her simulation into these monitors, so me and Tris can see what she is witnessing.", says Father.

"Whoa..."

"Wanna be our next test subject?", asks Father, jokingly towards Uncle Caleb.

Uncle Caleb scowls and Mother laughs, rubbing his shoulder.

* * *

I awake to the looks of what was a tropical forest. The palm trees were tall and the air felt good. The skies were filled with skinny-looking white clouds. No sign of rain. I sigh a breath of relief, knowing that this might actually be easy. But, I heard a caw. Shit...there was a crow flying above my head in the clouds. I look up, but I try not to scream. The crow flies down to my shoulder blade and digs its' talons upon my shoulder. I cry out in agonizing pain, wanting to shoot it off of me, but I had no gun. The talons were hurting so badly, so I swat at the wing of the stupid crow, but that made it madder than it already was, sinking its' stupid claws on me. Then, I hear MORE caws, as its' crazy friends came and one of them landed on the top of my ponytailed hair, pecking my forehead. I cry, but I didn't say a word. I wanted them OFF. But, I didn't know how. I close my eyes as they kept pecking at me.

"Get...off...of...ME!"

I dug into my back pocket, took out a gun and shot at the bird on my shoulder. I also aim at the other stupid birds, shooting at least two or three of them while the others flew off. I blew the steam coming out of the gun, but paused. I look at my gun.

 _What the hell...? How'd you get here? I wished for a gun. Now, I have it. How was this possible..? Is this...Divergence?_

* * *

I woke up in a panic. I ran my fingers through my ponytail and I look at my parents, who looked spooked while Uncle Caleb's mouth was hanging open. I look at all of them.

"What...?"

Mother looks at my father, who was looking at the ground, while Uncle Caleb finally pursed his lips together. "Does this happen usually...?", asks Uncle Caleb.

Mother walks over to me slowly, grabs me by the arm and drags me out of the room, leaving my father to deal with my uncle. We head off to a nearby corner.

"Ow, Mom. Let go of my arm! What are you...Lawrence?!"

"Liz. How'd you do that?"

"What? That sh-stuff with the gun? I don't know."

Mother interlaced her fingers and pressed them on her lips. It's her typical thinking face. Whenever she had that face, I'm usually in trouble. But, there was something about my mother that was weird.

"You're Divergent, are you...?"

My face reddens. I twirl my ponytail. "What's Divergent, Mom?"

"Don't play stupid, Elizabeth. I know you know."

I wince. I've never heard my mother talk like that before. She sounds more like...Father.

"What's the big DEAL?"

"Apart from you getting yourself **killed**?! Liz, you don't know what anyone is capable of DOING!"

"Why...? Because you and Dad were Divergent rebels?! Yeah, I know about you and Daddy! How long were you going to keep THAT a secret! Tell me, Mother!"

Mother turns red, not with embarrassment, but anger. "Mine and your father's business is **none** of your concern! Me and your father are going to destroy the tape before someone finds out about it. Meanwhile…you better figure out a way to keep people from finding out about this..."

"Too late. Thomas, Marlon and the Candor twins all know."

"WHAT?"

"Don't worry. Keira and Mason don't know. Yet."

"Don't tell any more people, Liz! We don't need another war!"

"Why? Because Joselyn wants me dead? Marlon's her SON, Mother! He's a spy sent from Erudite probably!"

"Why didn't you tell us earlier?"

"I needed to figure this out myself."

"Well, stop! No more..."

I roll my eyes and go into the simulation room, where Father was pacing back and forth. Mother was poking at Father's chest. "Why do I have a feeling _you_ have something to do with this!"

"Wha-NO!"

"How'd she know about...US! She knows about us being Divergent rebels!"

"What!"

Uncle Caleb looks at the ground. "I guess I shouldn't be here."

He walks out of the room, but I drag him back in. "Uncle Caleb, you were an Erudite, right? Why do the Erudite and the Abnegation hate each other? I thought that the Abnegation were supposed to be selfless! And why do the Erudite wants us to die...?"

"Caleb, tell her and I'll-", says Mother, coming after him.

"You'll what, Tris? What will you do? It's bad enough you treat me like garbage in front of Four!"

Mother stops in her tracks. "No, I don't!"

"Face it, Tris! You've changed!"

"Stop fighting, guys!", I say.

"You're still in trouble, Elizabeth.", says Mom.

"Mom, please. You're paranoid. Look. Honestly, I told Father about it, but we didn't want you to worry. What's the deal with all of this! Can someone tell me, PLEASE!?"

Mom sighs. "The Erudite had been giving reports about the Abnegation being above the other factions. Which…were lies."

"Why did you hesitate, sis?", asks Uncle Caleb with a worried and hurt expression on his face.

"Because...I'm not sure to think anymore."

"Sure, you don't."

"Caleb-"

He storms off. I storm off, too. It sucks when your parents keep secrets from you. It sucks and it hurts. I left the room, and everyone was staring at me. Including Thomas, Keira and Mason. I didn't see Marlon, nor did I cared where he was. I hear Thomas calling after me, but I ignored it. I was going into the chasm. As I open the doors, I stop to see Marlon kissing Farrah.


	15. What's Next for Lizzie Eaton?

I can't sleep. My eyes couldn't manage to stay shut. I was too busy thinking about Marlon and Farrah. I try to think of something else so I won't feel any more jealous. Why the hell was I jealous anyway? They're none of my concern! Either way, Marlon was a traitor while Farrah and her sister can go kill themselves. I think of the day when we had our first rankings. Yes. We Dauntless get ranked. I don't know if I mentioned it, but we initiates get ranked to see which positions we get as jobs. I want to be a Dauntless Leader-In-Training. Power is power. Not only it sees us as that...it also tells us which ones move on and which ones...go factionless. I shudder at the thought of being factionless. Wearing the same gross clothes everyday, starving and eating anything in plain sight...it was disgusting. Not as disgusting as Marlon and Farrah hooking up. My eyes close as I remember our first rankings...

* * *

 _After I had token care of Brandy, I was sitting in the dormitory with Keira, whose hands were burying her face, and Mason, who was too busy trying to comfort Keira but it wasn't working. I could tell that she was breaking._

 _"Keira, calm down," I say with a small smile. "You'll make it through. My father and my mother will help you out."_

 _"It's too late for me, you guys.", she says, crying. "I'm going to be **factionless**!"_

 _Mason kisses her neck and says, "Don't say that crap! You're a Dauntless through and through! Faction before blood!"_

 _Me and him both rose our fists in the air and laugh. Keira looks at us and sighs. She didn't believe us. I hug her from around the waist. Farrah and Marlon come into the dormitory, her eyes steadily and greedily focused on both me and Keira. Mason growls as he tries to protect her. I have never seen this side of Mason before. The loving and caring side of him. He REALLY cared for Keira and it was...sweet. Thomas comes in last, walking with the Amity transfer from before. Who helped me with my wounds. Anna, was it...? Yeah. As we all sat on our beds, Father was wheeling in the green chalkboard, with the help of my mother and Lauren, and stood before us until Lawrence and Uncle Caleb came in, at last. Lawrence looked as if he was eager to see the twins at top. Oh, how am I NOT surprised. Uncle Caleb smiles at me and my friends while Thomas boldly sits next to me. I wonder if Marlon didn't sit next to me, since he likes me as well. I roll my eyes at that thought. I didn't want him near me, anyways. Father smiles a little bit at me, then says, "Today, we'll be ranking you, based on your performances on Stage One. However, in Stage Two, it'll be based on overcoming cowardice, making it difficult to boost your rank if it's lower than you've expected."_

 _Lawrence rolls his eyes, annoyed, and says, "Save the damn sob stories, Tobias. Show the stupid ranks!"_

 _Father glares at him and wrote our names down. Mother looks at him, and turns away shyly. I roll my eyes and groan. Did they really have to show their lovey-dovey crap in front of us...now?! I could tell that Uncle Caleb agrees with me since he had a sour look on his face, as if he had swallowed something gross. As Father hangs up the chalkboard for us to see, my heart drops down to the pit of my stomach._

 _1.) Thomas_

 _2.) Farrah_

 _3.) Mason_

 _4.) Elizabeth_

 _5.) Marlon_

 _6.) Brandy_

 _My mouth was left wide open. I couldn't believe it! ME! Fourth place! I high-five Mason, but my good mood fades away as I saw Keira's name in dead last place. I could tell by the look on her face that she was saddened by this affair._

 _"Keira...it's okay...", I say._

 _"No. I'm fine."_

 _"Baby," says Mason, kissing her cheek. "No stressin' out."_

 _"No..."_

 _"Keke...", I say._

 _It was too late._

 _She got up to leave._

 _I groan. This was stressful! Keira makes things MORE difficult! Brandy gets up to talk._

 _"How the hell that Liz the LOSER here got ranked HIGHER than me?! She lost to THOMAS!"_

 _"Shut it, Brandy!", says Thomas, scowling. "No need to remind people I beat Liz!"_

 _I blush and shake my head. "I don't need an ERUDITE to stick up for me."_

 _Thomas rolls his eyes._

 _"Well, dear Brandy, next time, don't lose to someone whose ranked lower than you...", says Father, bluntly._

 _I put my hand on my forehead and sigh. Great...I was the lowly-ranked initiate that my own FATHER was talking about. Uncle Caleb claps me on the back and says, "Good job, Liz."_

 _"Thanks, Unc."_

 _"How's To Kill A Mockingbird?"_

 _I blush and whisper in his ear, "Really interesting...thanks, Uncle Caleb."_

 _He smiles at me. As he leaves, I think about Keira, but Brandy's ignorance clouds my thoughts. "You bitch! You'll PAY for this!"_

 _At that, she leaves the room, with her sister following her from behind. I don't know what that meant, but I knew it meant trouble..._

* * *

I toss and turn in my bed, since I couldn't sleep. I hear sounds of sniffling above me. It was coming from Keira's bunkbed. I was about to go up there to cheer her up, but I see a dark figure going up there. Mason. He presses his lips to silence me and goes up to Keira's bunkbed, laying next to her. I could tell that she was scared. If she was an Amity...I wouldn't know what to do. Mason was shushing her and kissing her neck, making her calm down a bit. Again, I never seen Mason like this. Loving and caring. He was mostly an annoying and rowdy brute force, unwilling to cooperate well with others. Mason runs his fingers through his curly hair and tells her that everything will be fine if she just will calm down. They kiss on the lips and it makes me...kinda jealous, truthfully. I kinda wish that me and Thomas were like this. I never thought I'd say those godawful words since I hate the Erudite. Their romance made me get up and go to Thomas's bed. He moans groggily as he slowly gets up.

"What…Liz? Is that you?"

"I can't sleep."

Thomas sits up and pats down a spot on his bed, so I sat next to him while he wraps his long arm around his waist.

"Do the simulations...bother you?", I ask him.

He shrugs. "Not really; what about you?"

I nod a bit. "I don't feel a thing, though. Because...you know."

Thomas nods. "Being...that...can make you or break you."

I kiss him. "Do you think...that it'll be okay...?"

He pulls me on top of him and kisses my neck, making me moan out softly. His lips finding my cheek, then my nose and later my lips. I kiss him back and find my hands going through his shirt, feeling his chest. I stop, quickly getting off of him. "I'm-I'm sorry. I shouldn't..."

"Liz-"

I get up and go to my own bed. Laying on my side. Thomas shakes me and I groan. "Thomas...! Can we...talk in the morning...?"

"Sure Whatever."

"Thomas-"

Too late. He was already leaving, going back to bed. I groan. Me and my fucking emotions.


	16. Brandy's Revenge

I sigh as I get up from the recliner the next day. I look at my father.

"They aren't real. I know that. Why don't I act like the others...?"

"I wondered the same thing. The Erudite don't want us to act different; they want us to be and act a certain way. All factions. It's strange; I know. We can't change it, unfortunately..."

I roll my eyes. Stupid Erudite. "Is the Abnegation corrupt like they say...?"

"Their ways...weren't really...I don't know."

"What was it like?"

He shrugs. I knew he didn't want to tell me...due to Grampa Marcus. His name makes me want to spit, like I have something sour in my mouth.

I groan.

"Why ME? I blame genetics!"

Father laughs. "Blame us all you want; it's not going to change who you are."

"What's the point of factions, anyway? War is always gonna come! S'not like we can do anything about it. We could, but it's a drag."

"You sound like an old lady."

"HEY!"

Father kissed the top of my head as we go out to the cafeteria, so we can eat today's lunch, which was enchiladas and chili. YUM! I sat with Mason, who had dark circles under his eyes, and Keira was nowhere to be found. I ask him where she was. Mason blows and rubs the sides of his forehead.

"Dormitory. She's not coming out. I think these simulations are getting to her."

"Don't worry; she'll come around."

Thomas comes towards us and says that Lawrence wants us to the dormitory. We groan. As we walk, we bump into Nyla, the blondie from the paint war, and Wyatt, the olive-skinned Chip Skylark. They stare us down and laugh.

"Look at these two idiots...", says Nyla. "You got lucky last time. If it were US, we'd got them in SECONDS!"

I roll my eyes.

Wyatt nudges me. "That was smart, though. Like...Erudite smart. No offense. I know how much you hate them."

"Thanks. I guess.", I say.

Mason blows and says, "Why are you guys talking to us? Don't you older Dauntless got nothing less to do but mess with us?"

Nyla rolls her eyes and says, sourly, "Because, stupid, we're better than you!" as she slaps him in the back of the head.

Mason, rolling his eyes, groans as we all walk into the dormitory.

Lawrence wasn't there...it was Farrah in the middle of the room. I grab Thomas by the shirt. "Where the hell is Lawrence...?"

He shrugs. "Get off, will ya? This is a good shirt!"

I growl. He puts his hands up, as if surrendering, and I let go. Thomas wipes his shirt and says, "Someone told me that Lawrence was coming...SHIT! I shoulda known it was a trick..."

I secretly held his hand and rotated my thumb on the back of his hand softly. Thomas smiles softly. Farrah was in the middle in the room, as I said, and she held a piece of paper in her hands.

" _People have questions regarding the status quo of one of the Dauntless initiates, Elizabeth Eaton as she is the only child of the Divergent rebels, Beatrice Prior and Tobias Eaton. Does she have this 'special gene' inside of her blood? Does she manipulate these simulations? How will she be able to survive the streets of Dauntless, knowing that the Erudite are after her and her family as we SPEAK?"_

My mouth hangs open. Thomas sucks in a breath. Mason looks at me blankly.

"What's...Divergent?", he asks me.

"Don't know; don't care. All I know is that she is spreading shit in front of me..."

Brandy was smiling at me. It made me angrier. This was her revenge, huh? Two can play at this bullcrap game.

" _Sources say that she was being picked as the favorite candidate to edge all of the other initiates out of Dauntless. My dear sister, Brandy Lawson, told me that she has confided in her father about the matter of the fact and he has yet to respond."_

I go over to her. "My wellbeing is NOBODY'S business! Whatever this is that you're talking about...are _lies!"_

Farrah smiles and says, "Marlon told us the story, rebel's child. Tell the truth. You're a threat to the city of Chicago. And to US!"

I look around me. Faces of sympathy and anger all around me. I look at Mason, who was more confused than upset, while Thomas was staring at Farrah. Nyla and Wyatt look at each other and shake their heads.

"Have you guys EVEN heard of the war that went on between the factions years ago...? I'm sure the _Erudite initiates_ have heard."

Thomas growls and says, "Shut it. No need to bring up the war, which was, like, HUNDREDS of YEARS ago!"

"Wasn't your _old_ faction representative the reason why we're in this predicament in the first place...?", says Farrah, coming close to him.

Thomas backs up until his back hits the wall. Farrah was feeling his face, making me angry.

"You seem to know much about this situation, Thomas. Since. You know. You've been so _close to_ Elizabeth here. It's like...you two are an item. Is that true...?"

Thomas was hesitant. Which was fueling Farrah even more. "Us Candor can tell if a person is lying through irregular body language..."

I had to do something. I got into the two of them and say, "Stop these bullcrap interrogations! If my dad finds out-"

"Your DAD and MOM are Divergent like you!"

"Why do you care!?"

"Because, Liz...we...all...hate...you."

I growl but later calmed down. I wasn't about to let Farrah get me killed.

"Where. Is. Keira? I know you have something to do with her acting strange."

"Oh, you mean that scardey-cat bitch?"

That's it.

I grab her by the front of her shirt but Mason grabs the collar of my shirt from behind and drags me out of there.

"Chill, will ya?"

"No! She's _antagonizing my family_! Mason, she's-"

Mason presses his finger on my mouth and says, "I get it. We're all going crazy..."

I sniffle and say, "Thanks, Mase."

"No prob. What is-"

"Again, I don't know. Candors think they're so smart! They can't compete with the Erudites..."

I sigh. I don't know where the Candor stand with the Erudite, but I know that they're not _that_ stupid.

We take a walk together when we hear some sniffling coming from the chasm.

I open the double door and all I saw was the back of a young-looking Dauntless with short black hair and chocolate-colored skin...oh, God. Keira, with her legs dangling over the railing of the chasm, was sniffling loudly as it looked as if she was...about to jump...!

"Keira, no!", I scream.

She turns around, her eyes red from tears. "Leave me alone. It's too late. I'm done with Dauntless."

"Baby, please," says Mason, calmly. His hands shaking and his face clammy. "Reconsider this. How'd you think we'll feel if you do this!? Hurt and confused, like how you're feeling right now..! Don't. Jump."

I look at Mason, then back at Keira, who wasn't listening. I shake my head and say, "Please don't do this! We're here for you, remember...?"

"Says the person who likes making fun of the Amity."

"That was BEFORE I found out about your dad...! I'm sorry, Keke! Please…"

Keira was about to throw her body over the railing, but Mason grabs her legs, pulling her up, with my help. As we manage to get her back to the other side with us, Keira gets up and shakes her head. "No! You shouldn't have done that!"

"Keke, please...! We love you. _I_ love you!", says Mason, with tears in his eyes, as he hugs her and kisses her cheek. "I love you, I love you, I fuckin' love you..."

Keira looks at us slowly and smiles finally. "I'm so sorry...both of you...thank you."

We all hug and go back to the dormitory, with Mason wrapping his large arms around our necks.

Now that's gonna give ME nightmares...


	17. Secrets That Can Lead to Death

At lunch, there was much tension between the new initiates and the Dauntless-born initiates, and it was making me angrier. Shouldn't we be more united and not separated? Isn't that what my parents fought for? This was stupid. As I ate my enchilada with my friends, I see Nyla whispering in the ear of another Dauntless-born initiate, who was a olive-colored girl with braided purple hair, and they look at me and laugh. I roll my eyes. Who the hell did she think she was...? I growl as I got up to throw my trash away, but someone hands me a slip of paper. It read _Divergent rebel_ in big red writing. I crumple it and throw it out, but I see the twins handing out flyers for something and they smirk at me. Where the hell was Marlon? He was coming inside, looking around his surroundings, acting all innocent, and it was making me more angry. I go over to him and grab the front of his shirt. "What. The hell? Is this your sick and twisted way of telling me you hate me as well? You Erudite have a _very irritating habit_ for pissing me the hell off."

Marlon shrugs his shoulders and says, "Get off of me, Divergent. If your mother and your father didn't kill our leader, we wouldn't be in this mess."

"Don't blame my parents for your bullshit. The Erudite were the ones who were attacking the damn Abnegation for years! Sure, I'm not fond of the Abnegation...but that doesn't mean that their ways were as corrupt as you Erudite bastards say!"

Marlon rolls his eyes. "My mother has done a pretty good job with running the Erudite after Jeanine's death."

"Your 'mother' is a troll like you. I wonder if Jeanine has a child. If she does, I'll hate them."

"Her daughter's whereabouts are none of your concern."

Before he could close his mouth, mines was wide open. Jeanine has a daughter. She could be anywhere hiding in the Dauntless compound as we speak. I should go over to Erudite headquarters and interrogate every damn Erudite bastard who was messing around in my business. Maybe pay Joselyn a visit. But, we could not leave the compound without supervision, so my chances of starting a tirade were slim to none. Dammit. Dammit, Janet. I say, "Tell me where her whereabouts are, Marlon. You guys must have her hidden around somewhere..."

I walk around slowly, my eyes heavily focused on every possible hiding spot. Marlon was behind me, grabbing me by the wrist and turning me around. "You can't find her here. Even I don't know where she is. Only Mama does."

"Your mother _sure_ knows a lot about Jeanine..."

"Yes; and her protégé, Lucy does, as well."

"Wait, what...?"

Lucy, the tattoo artist...? Lucy, my test examiner…? She knew Jeanine…? Did she work for Jeanine? There were too many questions that need answers. Now! I storm out of the cafeteria, but I turn around. I need to take care of this 'pest'. I go over to the twins and slap the stack of papers out of their hands. Mouths opens, they glare at me, but I just nod and smile as I leave. I hear footsteps following behind me, but I didn't bother to turn around. I open the door leading to the Pit, and I kick the door to the tattoo parlor open, scaring Bruce and one of his new trainees, a girl with a dragon tattoo, like the book. Lucy was reading at the cashier counter, her book was _The Hunger Games_. I've read that book series. Prim didn't deserve to die. President Snow should, though. She looks up at me and smiles. Before she got the chance to say hello, I grab her wrist and drag her into the back. Her smile quickly turned into a frown and she scowls at me. "The hell, Liz! What is this about? Are you-"

"How long have you been an undercover Erudite?"

She gasps. Ha. Fake shock. It amused me. It was funny. I shouldn't laugh, but I do.

"You know the deal. Dauntless don't take shit easily.", I say with a straight face.

Lucy looks at the floor, sighs and smiles again. "I've _transferred_ from Erudite a long time ago. I've studied under Jeanine a few years prior to her death; Joselyn took me under her wing and taught me all of stuff that Jeanine knew and had taught her. *Sigh*…Jeanine was a beautiful mastermind..."

"Do you realize what she DID to the Abnegation! She was responsible for millions of deaths! Including my _grandparents_!"

"I know that her ideas for the overthrow of the Abnegation government weren't perfect...but she wanted more say and your parents' old faction wouldn't give it to them. Think about it, Lizzie. Why should the factionless get all the luxury and lifestyle while we have to earn it and those dirty bastards had never done a day of work in their LIVES...?"

"That doesn't give you the rights to keep these secrets from me!"

We stare at each other for a while before she smiles at me. Her face coming towards mines. She grins, making me see her missing two front teeth, which was making me shudder. "If you thought I was REALLY a spy...I'd warn the Dauntless leaders by now...AND the Erudite!"

She moves her face away from me slowly. She did have a point. I'd be dead. "Be careful, Liz."

She leaves the room, leaving me alone. "Lucy..?"

She turns.

"Where's Jeanine's daughter...?"

"Ah. Kylie. She's somewhere in the Abnegation area. Mostly she's been looking around the factionless area."

My face fell. Factionless area. I shudder. "Thank...you."

She puts her hands on my shoulders. "Whatever you're about to do... **don't** do it. Everyone's got their eyes on you. _You_. Be careful."

She kisses my forehead and pushes me gently out of the room and I walk out of the tattoo parlor after I apologize to Bruce and the new kid, while Lucy sits back down and reads again. I take a few steps out of the parlor before screaming out loud and running off. I couldn't take it anymore. This Divergency was making me crazy. I go to Uncle Caleb's house, scaring both him and his wife, a skinny lady with blondish-brown hair and a spider tattoo on her neck. They were talking and having coffee. I stop in front of them and say sorry. Uncle Caleb sighs, as if he knew why I was here, and beckons me to come upstairs with him. "Eileen, I'll be back, okay?"

"Ok.", she says as she smooths the front of her black apron and waves at me. I wave back at my auntie. She and Uncle Caleb have been married for a long time. I heard rumors from Mother about him liking someone by the name of Susan, who I assumed she was from the Abnegation, and she often teases him abut her, making Unc cringe.

"Sorry 'bout that, Auntie Eileen...", I say as we go upstairs.

We go into his room and I sit on the edge of his black and white polka-dotted bed while he drags a wooden stool in front of me. "I guess that you want to know more on the Abnegation."

"Why'd you leave in the first place to go to... _them_? Out of all places! I should hate you, since you're an Erudite...but you're my uncle and you're family. You left, right? What was it like..? What was the Abnegation like? I need to know..."

Uncle Caleb sighs. "The only reason I left is because I wanted to know lots of things. Abnegation didn't want us to know things, to be curious; it'll be self-indulgent. After I learned about their plans to kill the Abnegation and overthrow their government, I quickly left. I would've told your mother earlier, but it was too late. I can't make you have any positive nor negative opinions about both factions, but I'll say this...Liz, you're the master of your own destiny. Don't let the friction between the Abnegation and the Erudite bother you, okay? Elizabeth, I know that...you have very strong feelings about the Erudite. Let your parents handle it, okay? Just. Get through your initiation, alright?"

I nod, but deep down, I knew I wasn't going to let this crap go. Uncle Caleb should know that. Then, I heard a door open and close. I heard my aunt saying hello to that person, who sounds like a girl.

"That must be your cousin.", says Unc. "Let's go and see her."

"Okay...wait. I have a _cousin_?"

"See, that's what happens when Four is so stubborn to let us visit."

"That's 'cause you're a nuisance."

"Hey...!"

I laugh. "I'm kidding, Unc."

From the look on his face, he still thinks I'm serious, but later lightens up. We go down the stairs and here I am face-to-face with...Nyla...? Nyla's my cousin...?! Dammit, Dad! If only you let Uncle Caleb visit! We stare at each other in disgust and Nyla scoffs at me. "What is the _Divergent_ doing here!"

Aunt Eileen cringes at that word. She must know of that word, as well.

"Sweetie, be nice.", says Unc. "This is your cousin, Liz."

"WHAT? She's my COUSIN?!", she says, glaring at me.

"That's what I said..", I mumbled.

Unc rolls his eyes and says, "Be nice."

"Actually, Unc. I have to ditch you guys. I have to prepare for the...simulations thingies.", I say after I wave goodbye to my mother's brother and wife and sticking my tongue at Nyla, who gives me the bird. I leave, but scream as I see Thomas in front of me.

"How long have you been following me!"

"Well. I saw you at the tattoo parlor, guessed at what you're planning and I'm right. You're plotting revenge and you're gonna be too stubborn to listen to your family and ask for help."

"I'm tired of you being an overly concerned boyfriend, a'ight?"

I gasp and say, "Wait! I didn't-"

"Boyfriend...I like the word."

I roll my eyes as I hold his hand and rotate my thumb over his knuckles like how my mother does to my father and we walk to the Dauntless compound.

"I'm scared, Thomas. Keira tried to kill herself..."

"I've heard. Mason was still talking about it over with her, and I managed to overhear. Sorry."

"It's okay."

"How is she...?"

"Doing better now that Mason's taking care of her."

"Good; good."

"Yea; let's go and prepare for the simulations. Ok?"

"Ok..."

"Um...Thomas...? What are your fears...?"

He stops, making me almost fall, and he eyes me suspiciously. "None of your concern. Let's focus on right now."

I nod while we walk together. What was he hiding? As we go into the compound, Father sees us and we quickly let go of each others' hands. He comes over to us and says, "You're just in time; I was going to take you into another room."

"Where, Dad..? The fear landscape?"

"Fear landscape?", asks Thomas.

Father nods with a smirk on his face. He claps him on the back and says, "I'm so _glad_ you asked, Thomas. Is Keira okay, Liz?"

I nod.

"Good; let's get going, shall we?"

I was walking by myself, only because Father was standing with Thomas. "Go on without us, sweetie. We'll catch up."

"Ok."

I go off. Thomas asks, "What is it, sir...?"

"Heard you've got a liking of my daughter...is that true?"

"I...um...I..."

Father laughs at him. "I've seen your simulations. She's not as scary as you think."

Thomas stares at him. Father smirks and claps him on the back. "Just so you know. If you hurt her...you don't have to worry about _her_ hurting you."

Father walks off while Thomas was standing there, frozen before catching up to him.

We meet up with my mother, who was chatting with Lauren while Lawrence was talking to Brandy and Farrah. Keira waves at me as I hug her and high-five Mason. Thomas finally comes in with Father, who kisses my mom, making me groan and Unc came with Nyla, who stares at me. Wyatt calls her over, high-fiving her and giving me a thumbs up. We were in front of a double-doored place. Opening the doors, Father guides us into a dark and gloomy room, the words _Dauntless_ graffitied on the concrete walls. The last time I was here, it was last year and I was just exploring. Looking at it now makes me feel like a little child. Jeez...

"Tomorrow, this is where Stage Three takes place.", says Lawrence. "You'll be ranked by how much time you'll spend. In order to make it, you'll either lower your heartrate, making you go to the next simulation, or face your fear head-on."

"I suggest you think about how you're going to handle your fears strategically.", says Lauren, flipping her dark hair back and picking on her pierced eyebrow.

Mother says, eagerly, "Good luck, you guys. You're almost there!"

I cheer with Mason and Keira.

Lawrence was pulling a chalkboard covered up by a blanket.

"What the hell is that?", asks Father.

"Rankings for Stage Two. Like a... _progress_ report."

He smirks at the word 'progress'.

Scary.

Lawrence pulls the blanket back. I frown when I see my name on the first slot. My time was three minutes and forty seconds. Farrah was second, her time was ten minutes. Thomas was third, surprisingly his time was _fourteen minutes_! What was making him so scared that it takes him a long time to calm down? Honestly, I thought that at least MASON would be on top, but he was ranked fifth, Marlon was fourth, and Keira, last. I groan. These twins were killing her mentally! I **knew** that Lawrence was enjoying this, due to the look on his face, his stupid smirk. I want to knock his smirk off of his idiotic face, but I knew tat my mother would disapprove of my egotistic behavior. I look at Nyla and Wyatt. They were older than me by two years, I knew that. What were they doing here? Were they trying to compete with us, hoping to challenge each other or something? I know that some Dauntless do that. I eye them. Wyatt was the only one who waved at me. Nyla was too busy hugging Unc. I roll my eyes. Couldn't he see that his daughter was a bitch? Should I tell him that? Naw. Let him find out the hard way. We slowly disburse but Farrah was lagging back. She got up slowly, about to leave but she runs up and hits me on the back of my head. I hit her in the gut and grab her hair. Mason pulls me away, but I was stronger. I finally let go.

"How'd you do it...? Was it your Divergency?", Farrah asks me angrily.

"Shut up, will ya!", I yell.

"Look," says Mason, stressed out. "I don't know about this...thing but Liz is not that!"

"Are you stupid! She's gonna edge you-US-all out of Dauntless! Watch! You'll find out eventually...", snarls Farrah.

Farrah storms out with her sister, and her 'lover', Marlon, who was smirking at me.

I roll my eyes.

Mason leaves, holding Keira's hand and they wave but Mason asks me, "Are you really trying to edge us out...?"

"What...? I'm _your friend!_ Don't be stupid! Why would I do that!"

"Well. You're good at these simulations..."

"It's sheer luck; I'm fearless, remember..?"

"Not _all_ Dauntless are fearless."

I roll my eyes.

"Mason, she's not pretending.", says Keira with a serious face. "She don't need to act."

She leaves with him.

My mouth flies open...Did Keira just **diss me**?!

I sigh.

Thomas taps me on the shoulder. "Need someone to talk to...?"

I nod, holding his hand in secret.

As we walk together, Thomas kisses my cheek. "Thomas, what's with your ranking? I thought that the Erudite aren't scared of nothing."

He shrugs.

"What is with you, Thomas?"

He shrugs again.

I let go and look at him. "Tell me what's wrong."

" _Nothing_. Didn't I tell you it's none of your concern?"

Thomas storms away from me, leaving me by myself. I want to run after and hit him, but I want to comfort him. WHAT was he afraid of...? I wanted to know, but I should wait until he was calm and he was ready. Then, I'll pounce.

* * *

That night, I couldn't sleep again! Knowing I might die. I toss and turn and I couldn't sleep. I groan. Maybe a drink of water could help me. _If_ it'll help me. I doubt it. I get up and go to the drinking fountain and before my lips touch the water, I hear three voices: a woman's voice and two men' voices.

"I know it's that Liz girl.", says one men's voice. Deep baritone. "She's been trouble from day one."

 _Lawrence..._

I shudder.

"Heh. That Eaton's girl is something...she's gotta be since she's Four's daughter.", says another men's voice. "And that Tris. She was a problem as well..."

"I was talking with her last week.", a woman said. "She'll make a **great** addition to our troops..."

Oh, God. Joselyn. I knew that Lawrence was up to no good! He's working alongside Joselyn! But, who was the other voice..? And how'd he know my parents? Before I got a chance to lean in closer, someone covers my mouth with a hand and I scream. Someone was tying my hands behind me and my eyes were being blindfolded. I kick someone's leg and they scream and hit me in the face.

"Chill; we need her in one piece.", a boy says.

I automatically knew it was Marlon.

I bite the hand that was covering my mouth and they scream. "You damn bastard!"

Brandy. I'm guessing it was Marlon and the twins.

Smart guess. But, I shouldn't get ahead of myself.

I was being carried over someone's shoulder. I scream out and say," I'll kill you! Lemme go!"

"You're not Erudite smart if you keep screaming.", says Brandy.

"You think I **care** 'bout those stupid..."

I shut up.

"Not so tough, are ya...Dauntless trash."

Doors open and Marlon drops me on the ground. If my eyes weren't blindfolded and my hands weren't tied to my back, I'd attack him and scratch their faces. But, my anger drowned from my body and fear replaced it. I hear running water...The chasm.


	18. Liz and Keira

The chasm. The chasm. Good God, the chasm. Why...? Unless...they're gonna kill me. They're gonna kill me and tell no one. Like anyone else would care if I stay or leave. Dammit. Dammit, Janet. I felt someone punch me in the gut and bang my head against the wall. I fall to the ground and someone holds me up.

"Had enough, Divergent...?", asks Marlon.

"N...no.", I struggle to say.

Someone was putting their hands over me. Feeling upon my chest...God. Marlon must be touching me.

"You wish Thomas was doing this to you...don't ya, Lizzie, dear.", he says, working his way to my legs, feeling between them. Instead of hitting him, like I'm supposed to...I was frozen still. What was wrong with ME? Why can't I move...? A low moan escapes my mouth, which it shouldn't. But, it did.

"T...Thomas...is none of your concern."

One hand squeezes between my legs and the other gropes at my chest. "Lemme go...", I scream out.

He kisses my neck.

"How would your little girl, Farrah, feel...?", I ask hesitantly.

I feel a slap across my face and I fall over. Then, someone grabs me from under my arms while the blindfold came off of my eyes. I was leaning over the railing now, with Marlon having both of his hands on both sides of my body, making me lean over.

 _God, don't let me die..._

I was screaming from the top of my lungs, but I knew no one would hear me. Just then, I hear the doors open.

"HEY!", yells a boy's voice.

I didn't get to see since Marlon dropped me and I ended up hitting my head. The last thing I remember was them leaving but the one thing that caught my attention was the black and purple colored Converse sneakers on one of them and I knew who wore them.

* * *

A few minutes, I was awake but my head was throbbing. What the hell happened...? I remember being hung over the chasm and being carried by someone. Now I'm somewhere that I don't recognize. Am I in one of those small apartments...? I remember seeing them as a child. The Dauntless rent them after initiation. Why am I here...? I hear running water and a faucet turning off. I see Thomas drying his hands. I try to look away, but it was too late. Our eyes meet.

"Are you okay...?", he asks, his hand brushing my cheek. "Nice bruise, soldier."

It hurt rolling my eyes. I groan and wince, but I try not to let it show.

"It's okay. It's just us here."

"Where are we...?"

"In one of these apartment buildings. I snuck us in without anyone knowing.", he says, with a smile I trust.

I smile, but it hurt and I ended up crying. Thomas kisses me and asks, "What did they do to you, Lizzie...?"

I shake my head. I didn't want to tell him about what Marlon did to me. He would be pissed as hell.

"C'mon, Liz. Tell me, please."

"Np, no, NO! It was none of your concern! NONE!"

"So, you won't admit that Marlon and the others abused you?!"

I wince as I move towards him and I say slowly, "This. Was. None of your damn concern! Marlon...and the others were none of a threat to me. You were..."

I stop because I was overwhelmed with tears. Thomas gets irritated and says, "I'll kill him..."

"No!"

"He hurt you, Liz! What the hell am I supposed to do!?"

"He touched ME! Ok, are you happy?! _Marlon harassed me, Thomas!_ "

I close my eyes for a bit, but when I open them, he was still staring at me, but the dark in his eyes seem darker. I wave a hand in his face, but he grabs it and squeezes it softly.

"Where...did he touch you?"

I look him in the eye and say, "What…?"

"Where? Liz, tell me now or I swear to God, I'll get myself kicked out of Dauntless!"

"Don't be a stupid bastard!"

Thomas rolls his eyes and says, "Liz, tell me. You stress me to talk, so why don't you?"

I look at him. He was right. I don't talk to him, so why should he talk to me? Am I really a good girlfriend..?

"We should...go back to the compound. Before my parents go looking for us."

Thomas nods and helps me off of the bed. He kisses me and whispers in my ear, "I love you, you know."

I nod.

Thomas touches me on the cheek and works his way to my hip. "Is this...okay?"

I nod slightly and kiss him. Feeling his chest through his deep blue shirt.

"Maybe we should...wait. Since it's dark out.", says Thomas.

I nod. He was right, again. It WAS too dark, but I don't want my parents worrying about me. Good God, why was I being a prissy little bitch? I sigh and lay down without grimacing and crying out in pain, even though it _did_ hurt like hell! Thomas sits next to me and asks jokingly, "How's _To Kill a_ _Mockingbird_ going out for ya...?"

I roll my eyes. "Shut up, you Erudite."

Thomas laughs and kisses me and I get on top of him. We kiss and Thomas kisses my neck, making me moan out loud. I cuddle up on his chest...until he works his hands inside of my black shirt, finding the hooks of my bra. I get up suddenly. Thomas gives me a look.

"What…?"

"Maybe we should get to sleep."

I turn on my side and shut my eyes, pretending to sleep, but Thomas, as smart as he was, didn't fall for it. He shakes me and I groan. "What, Erudite?"

"What's with you?"

"Nothing..."

I kiss him and he gets on top of me.

He takes off his shirt, revealing his abs.

I look at them, and it made me feel...weird. Did that make me a bad girlfriend?

He kisses me again and takes off my shirt. I cover the front of my chest as I sit up, almost bumping my head against his, making him groan in pain. He rubs his head and chuckles. "You're adorable."

I laugh nervously.

He takes something out of his pocket. A condom. I shake and look him in the eyes. I try to tell him 'no', but the words fail to escape my mouth. Why was I so SCARED? It's not like us Dauntless to be fearful. But, my mother always said that no one was fearless. Like Keira says as well. I shake my head. I shouldn't think about her. Not after what had happened. We kiss and he puts his condom on him. Should I let him do this...? What would happen if people find out...I guess that we'll have to see for ourselves. He gets on top of me and kisses as we made love to each other, our bodies heating up against each other. I moan as his hands were moving all over me and I keep scratching his back with my nails. Though it felt so good, I feel as if I'm making a big mistake.

* * *

We made sure to make it back into the compound early in the morning. As we tiptoe into the compound, we search into the hallways, making sure that nobody was in the premises. As the coast was clear, Thomas grabs us two pizza-flavored bagels from the cafeteria without being caught. As we ate and held hands, we head for the dormitory, but my heart and stomach both sink as I see my two best friends kissing upon Mason's bottom bunkbed. Turning red, Mason quickly gets up, making Keira fall to the floor and yelling, "Ouch, Mason!"

"Sorry, babe!"

Mason helps up his 'innocent' little girlfriend. Keira dusts herself off and smiles at the both of us. Thomas smiles back, but I wasn't paying attention to ANY of them. I was mostly paying attention to Keira's shoes. Her purple and black Converses...

I knew it, I knew it, _I knew it!_ I KNEW I wasn't seeing things when I saw her sneakers! Why...? Why would she do it? I knew why. Jealousy. I wonder why Mason didn't know about this. I shake my head. I didn't want to a controversy; Mason was my friend and it'll hurt him if we argued. But, I wasn't going to stand here and take it.

"Where WERE you two lovebirds?", jokes Mason, nudging Thomas by the shoulder. "Four was about to go AWOL!"

"Father? AWOL?" I chuckle. The thought of it made me laugh.

Keira laughs too, so I shut my mouth.

Mason laughs the hardest. He always does this when he makes jokes. "You two know what today is, right...?", he asks.

"Fear Landscape Day...", says Keira, softly. "I wonder whose fears we're gonna see?"

"Maybe one of the leaders...", I shrug.

"Like Four's?", asks Thomas.

"Naw, Daddy's fearless."

"But, you said-"

I stomp on his foot and Thomas groans silently.

I remember accidently telling him about Dad's fear of heights.

"You boys should go; Keira, can we talk?"

Keira gives me a fake sympathy look and nods.

As the boys leave, Keira sits on Mason's bed and takes my hand, squeezing it softly and smiling at me.

 _Alright, Keira. If you wanna play stupid ass game, we'll play. But, look out. You do NOT want to go against me._

"What do you wanna-"

"Cut the crap, Keira. I know what happened last night."

She cringes. "What was last night...?"

I growl. "WHY'D YOU JUMP ME?! I thought you were my _friend_! MY FRIEND! We've been friends for YEARS! How could you stab me in the fucking back and attack me...with THEM! I thought you were _afraid of them!_ "

"I...I..."

I shake my head. "I don't want to hear your damn excuses!"

I pull her off of the bed, making her fall to the floor. As she falls, she was about to cry. I wasn't having it. I turn to walk out of the door.

"I didn't want to do it!"

I turn to look at her.

"Why DID you...?"

"I was jealous...and scared...and _I'm sorry_. PLEASE forgive me, Liz..."

A part of me wants to forgive my best friend since we were kids. A part of me wants to hug her and tell her it'll be alright. A part of me wants to let go of allof this deep-seeded anger and tell her of my Divergency.

But, that girl doesn't exist.

"Stay away from me, Keira. Come close...and I swear I'll **kill** you!"

As I leave Keira, my last words were to her, "You better watch your back...you coward."


	19. Meet Jeanine's Other Half

Outside of the landscape room, Father was worried about something. I know what it was. He was looking at me, sitting next to Thomas, while Mason and Keira were sitting far on the other side. He looks at me then at them and Mother was doing the same thing. She opens her mouth to say something, but quickly purses her lips. Lauren sighs and says, "Today, we're going to explore the fear landscape. The landscape would set to my fears, to give you an insight of what you'll experience. Who's willing to go first...?"

All of the initiates glance at each other. Seems like nobody wanted to be first...

Father sighs and says, "It's not that big of a deal. S'not like we're dissecting each and every one of ya...Sheesh."

I roll my eyes. Thomas rose up and walked towards my father, who was smirking.

The point of it was that we can't see the person's fears, only their reactions to them. I curse in silent. I was eager to see his fears. But, I can't. Sucks, right?

As Thomas got his injection, I heard that the fear that he was assigned was the spiders. I see him brush them off effortlessly. I roll my eyes. Erudites...they think they're smart. Next was Marlon, who was assigned closing spaces. He was pushing something like the walls were closing on him. I was up next. I was assigned kidnapping. Yay...like I **really** needed to be assigned kidnapping! Like I wasn't kidnapped _last night!_ I sigh as my father injects me.

"Are you, Mason and Keira okay?"

"S'not a big deal. Faction before blood. Everyone believes that."

Father sighs as I go in. He walks up to Mason while Keira walks away to talk to her mother, who was joking around with my mother.

"Is there a problem with the girls?", asks Father.

Mason shrugs. "Keira won't talk to me about it; Liz won't cough up, either."

Father looks at my mother, who was worried as well. Uncle Caleb was talking to Nyla, who wrapped her arm around Wyatt's neck as they joke around. Lawrence looks around with a smirk.

* * *

I look around my surroundings and nothing yet. I was all alone in an empty space. My mind was boggling with worry. The whole argument with Keira; Marlon and Farrah; me sleeping with Thomas; Divergency killing me on the inside. As my eyes were adjusting to the pitch-black dark, my mouth was being covered and my eyes were blindfolded. My arms and legs were being tied. As the hand uncovers my mouth, I was on the verge of tears.

"Thomas, help! Dad! Mom! _Somebody!_ "

I was standing still, for I couldn't move my arms and legs.

The hand was brushing up on my shoulder area.

"Have you ever felt good like this...?"

It was a male voice. A YOUNG male voice.

 _Marlon...?_

"Marlon...is that you?"

I was scared now. The hand was sliding up on my chest, feeling one of my breasts. This was more than kidnapping; this was rape.

"Get away! Lemme go!"

"Why should I? A girl like you shouldn't escape me."

There was a part of me that needed to fight back. This wasn't right! But, like last night, my body was frozen still.

"Lemme go...please."

I was crying now and it hurt me so much. Dauntless were supposed to **fearless**! The hand made its way to between my legs, rubbing my thighs and calves.

"Let go, let go, let go..."

* * *

I was really crying until I heard a "Stop!" and I look around. I was back into the fear landscape. My whole body was shaking and my eyes were blurry with tears. The door opens and my father was next to me, but I didn't see him. I was too busy shaking and mumbling, "No more...no more...no more..."

"Liz..?", my father asks.

"No more..."

"Lizzie..."

As my father goes to touch my shoulder, I grab the arm and kick him in the ribs.

My father grimaces and I gasp.

"Father! I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!"

"Lizzie, are you...okay?"

My mouth opens but closes. I didn't know the answer.

I ran out o the fear landscape, out of the whole place. Into the hallway. I didn't bother to look back. I ran out of the compound and head for the trains. I knew I heard footsteps behind me, but I didn't bother to turn around. I knew it was Thomas following me.

"Go away, Thomas! Leave me alone!"

I hop on one of the trains.

As the train was moving faster, I sat down and someone else sat next to me.

A young boy with curly black hair.

Thomas.

I groan. Why'd he had to follow me...?

"Why the hell did you follow me?"

"I was worried about you; what happened?"

"Nothing."

"Is it because of last night?"

" _Last night was nothing!_ "

Thomas staggers a bit and sighs. "Shit, Liz. Why are you so angry? Marlon messing with you?"

I roll my eyes. "Shut up."

Thomas growls and says, "You're a piece of work, you know that?"

"I've been told that more than once."

Thomas laughs. I assume it's okay to laugh, too, so I do.

Thomas scoots in closer to me and holds my hand, rotating his thumb on the back of my hand.

"Where are we going... _oh-no..._ ", says Thomas, putting his fingers on the sides of his temples and rubs them. "Please don't tell me we're going to Erudite…"

"No."

"Phew!"

"We're going to Abnegation. Well, the factionless part."

"What?!"

I nod. "I have to track down Jeanine's daughter; she has answers to my questions."

"Kylie can't help you."

"You know her?"

Thomas hesitates. "We...have some issues."

"You **dated** her...?!"

"NO! She 'liked' me. I refused."

"Why...?"

"Not important; why the factionless? They're gross and disgusting and-"

I give him a look. He shuts up. I get up to jump off. I feel him wrap his arms around my waist. As we jump off, we both land on our feet. As we walk together, we walk in the dirty streets of the factionless. I had to pinch my nose since it was smelling like rotting garbage. Thomas looks around him until we bump into a factionless elderly woman with a few missing teeth. I held on to Thomas, as he asks her, "Do you need any help, ma'am...?"

"Yes. Do you kids have anything to eat...?"

Thomas takes out some cookies from his pocket. As he was about to hand them over, she takes his arm. Thomas tries to pull back, but she was strong. She eyes him and says, "My, my, what a darling face you have."

"Get away from my boyfriend!", I yell.

She cackles and says, "Your boyfriend is just adorable..."

I growl as I was pulling Thomas away from the old bastard. I manage to get him away, but he ends up dropping the bag of cookies. As we run off, she picks up the bag and says, "Thank you, cutie pie!"

We run away and end up in Abnegation, where the gray houses look the same. I went into one of them, where in front of me was a picture I recognized. It was my mother and uncle, hugging my grandparents. Grandma Natalie and Grandpa Andrew. This must of been my mother and uncle's house. I was about to cry then Thomas hugs me from behind. I turn around and kiss my boyfriend. I manage to catch him by surprise, but he gets a hold of me and kisses me back. Then I hear someone come down the stairs, saying, "What the? WHO ARE YOU?!"

I turn and see a young girl with silvery long hair, dressed in blue and gray, stare mostly at Thomas, whose mouth was open widely.

"Kylie..."

"Thomas...?"

I look at the both of them.

This must be her.


	20. Infiltration

I look at both Thomas and Kylie and sneer. Kylie manages to catch me sneering at her and asks Thomas if I was her replacement. Replacement?

"Replacement? I'm _nobody's_ replacement!", I say, grabbing her by the front of her shirt, quickly remembering her shirt was but, I stagger back and wiped my hand off on my skinny jeans. Damn Erudite cooties...

"What is this about a replacement, Thomas?", I ask, angrily.

Thomas looks at me, worried and sighs. Before he got a chance to answer, Kylie laughs and says, "You haven't told her about us, Thomas? How you were so much in love with me? You wanted to be with me? When we first _slept together_?!"

My mouth fell open and I gawk at him, angrily and shook my head. I KNEW it. I ran out o the door, angry and head for the train, but I stop. I had questions. I go back into the house and say, "How? How can you LIE to me like that?"

I poke him in the chest as I spoke. This only infuriated him and he grabs my wrist.

"Lemme go!"

"Listen, Liz.", he says. "It's not what you think."

"You typical boys say that shit to make us believe you're loyal and true."

"Liz, I'm sorry."

Quickly growing bored, Kylie grabs Thomas by the hand and says, "You know you love me still..."

I roll my eyes.

Thomas says, "You've cheated on me; that's why I left!"

"Cheated is a VERY strong word..."

"Stop lying!"

"I HAVE QUESTIONS HERE!", I intervene, making me angrier.

They look at me. I come closer to Kylie.

"Are you really Jeanine's daughter? What happened in the time your mother was alive, killing all of those Abnegation members...including my grandparents...?"

"Heh.", she says with a smirk. She crosses her arms and says, "Why do you care...Dauntless?"

I eye her. "Your mother killed my loved ones...my MOTHER'S loved ones! Did your mother even care?!"

"You don't understand how the Abnegation operate. Their 'uncorrupted nature' wasn't all that was cracked up to be."

"The Abnegation….they...why are you here?"

"Planning the execution of the Divergent...speaking of which..."

She was coming closer to me. Her smirk was creepy like a devil. Thomas pulls me away from her. I seen that she had a syringe in her hand.

"You've been….injecting people.", I say. "Injecting people and killing them afterwards..."

Kylie laughs and walks off.

Before I try to stop her...

"Knock it off!"

Thomas comes behind me and holds on to me.

"Kylie, leave Liz alone."

"I don't need your help!", I yell at him.

Thomas stands back and sneers. "Stupid Dauntless…"

I glare at him, shake my head and say, "Shut up! Kylie, you're dead! You Erudites are _all of the same_!"

I stomp on his foot and grab Kylie. "You're coming with me..."

I push her out of the house and grab her collar.

"Look at this! The Abnegation does look crappy, but it was home to my parents!"

"If you understood what happened-"

"Which is why _you're_ gonna tell me what the hell happened!"

"The Erudites wanted a say! Your bullshit Abnegation only wanted **themselves** to run government! How can someone who calls themselves 'selfless' so something like...THIS! Have you ever thought of that? Have you ever considered that maybe some things or some PEOPLE aren't what they say they are...?!"

I thought about it and came up with Marlon manipulating me.

I shake my head and sneer. "Let's go..."

I walk off, with Thomas following me.

"Why didn't you tell me about Kylie?"

"You hate Erudites, remember?"

"That doesn't mean that your relationship should be a secret from me. You've dated AND slept with her! Did you think I wouldn't find this out eventually...? Thomas. Why her...? What happened? What changed?"

"You."

I stood for a minute. Me...? What did I do...?

"Me? What-"

Thomas was walking too fast for me.

"Wait up, Erudite!"

I ran faster but he wasn't letting me near him.

As we were getting on the train, there was one more stop we had to go to next.

Erudite.

As we get near the Erudite headquarters, I get up and was about to hop off but Thomas sees me and grabs me. "Don't be damn stupid! I know your plans. Don't."

"Leave me alone!"

"You don't-"

"Know what I'm up against? I know that, genius."

I hop off. Thomas was hesitating, but he knew that he was outnumbered.

I storm off and infiltrated their headquarters, which was a library. Stupid. I head for a front desk clerk and ask for Joselyn. Slamming my hand on the table, I say, "I need Joselyn. Is she here...?"

"Not allowed to let you see her without an appointment.", says the freckled faced girl with glasses. She must be an initiate. I grab the front of her blue shirt and yell, "You WILL tell her where she IS! Tell me or else I'll kill every one in this place!"

Thomas puts a hand on my shoulder and says, "Liana, I know that she's here. Isn't there a way to contact her?"

Liana, giggling, says finally, "Sure, Tommy..."

She presses a red button to an intercom and says, "Joselyn? Yes, Thomas is here...and he's brought...a friend."

She sneers at the word 'friend'. I roll my eyes.

As she reads her book, which was _The Outsiders_ , and I LOVE that book (don't tell people), Joselyn comes in, finally and beckons us to her office.

As we sat on her blue chairs (I mean, her whole office was blue with white polka dots; it was gross), she smirks.

"What brings you lovely people to my domain...? Especially, YOU, Thomas baby!"

She kisses both of his cheeks and hugs him, making me gag. "I's been a while, Tommy. How is the Dauntless treating ya?"

"Now? It's easy."

"And your rankings?"

"Gettin' there."

"Good; Liz! I didn't expect YOU to come here."

"We have unfinished business.", I say.

"Oh..?"

"Don't play stupid; I want answers on the Erudites and the Abnegation."

"Liz, Liz, Liz. The Abnegation are stuck-up wannabes. And how is it...that the Divergent come from the Abnegation, the lowest of all places...?"

That, I didn't know.

"Liz," she says, holding my hands. "Join us. Don't you see that people like you can take down this monstrosity we call Abnegation?"

"You mean monsters like YOU? Both you and Kylie can just kill yourselves! Yea, I've seen Kylie and she acts like you and her mother!"

Thomas pulls me away and say, "Goodbye, Joselyn."

"Bye-bye, sweetie. And tell Marlon I said hi."

"Fine."

We get out of the Erudite headquarters and head home. We get on the train and we didn't talk until we got to the compound. As we got to the entrance, Father was waiting out front. Shit...

My father was standing there with his arms folded and his eyes were slanted.

"Dad, before you say anything-"

"What the hell, you two! Where have you been!"

I look at the ground. "To the Abnegation and Erudite compounds."

"WHAT?"

"I needed answers, Daddy."

"You coulda asked ME?"

"Remember Mom's tirades?"

"You can trust me. As for YOU, Thomas..."

"Hey, I was trying to stop her!"

"Well...thank you. But, that doesn't excuse you two for leaving the compound. Liz, leave this topic alone and let me and your mother handle it."

"Mister Eaton, if I may? Do you have a some...needle syringes...?"

"Yes...why?"

"No reason."

Father guides him to where he gives him a black box. Thomas nods with approval and thanks him. I tell them that I'm going to the dormitory to relax but Thomas takes me by the hand and holds on to it. "Don't you want to see my fears..?"

I look at him. "Really...?"

Father nods at the both of us and guides us to the fear landscape. As we got there, Father kisses me and claps Thomas on the back. Thomas tells me to inject him, pointing to a spot on his neck. As I nervously inject him, he does the same to me.

"Why are we doing this...?"

"To tell you...what my fears are..."

"Are you gonna tell me what happened with you and Kylie...?"

"She cheated on me...and I saw you...when it happened."

"Am I in here...?"

Thomas chuckles and smirks. "Try to figure that out."


	21. Thomas's Fears

We walk into a dark room. I look around my surroundings and at Thomas, who was shaking. Turns out that we were at Erudite headquarters again, but this was the main center. I see multiple blue houses as I walk with Thomas. Speaking of which, I tap on his shoulder. He turns around quickly and screams. He shakes his head and apologizes.

"Why are you so shaky?", I ask.

He shrugs and walks off. What was the point of bringing me here if he was-

"Ow!", I cry out.

I felt something hit me on the head.

Thomas looks at me feeling the back of my head, kissing it. I smile slightly and thank him. As I turn to see what or who had hit me, Thomas pushes me out of the way.

"What the hell, Thomas!"

"Leave us alone, Mom...!"

"Mom...?"

There was a tall and skinny figure coming towards us. It was Caroline with a rock in her hand. Thomas's mother...? He was afraid of his own mother..?! If I were him, I'd be afraid of her too! But, why was he afraid of her? He takes me by the hand and runs off.

"Come back, Thomas!", she screams as she comes towards us. "You're not getting away from me again!"

As we hid behind a tall building, I ask, "Are you afraid of Caroline...?"

"It's not like...I.…she was always controlling. She didn't want me here."

"Why..? Because of me?"

"That, and the war between Erudites and Abnegation members. She always wanted me to stay and defend the Erudites. She never wanted us to leave. She was more of a hoarder. If any of us stepped out of line...she got abusive."

"Abusive how?"

Thomas shakes and comes out of his hiding spot. "Mom! Mom, come out!"

"YOU come on out."

"You first."

Caroline comes and grabs him by the wrist, saying, "I TOLD you not to go to Dauntless!"

"Lemme live my life...!"

"This is for your own good!"

Caroline hits Thomas and pushes him to the ground. He grimaces and groans. I was just watching this. He needs to calm down.

"Thomas," I say. "Calm down. You can do it!"

Thomas tries to breathe but his mother was twisting his wrist, making me scream out. It was my turn. I kick his mother on her gut and slap her, grabbing Thomas by his other wrist and we ran away.

* * *

As we were running, we were on the edge of a roof. I was almost about to fall off, but he grabs me by my shirt collar.

"Are you afraid of heights too..?"

"A little bit; that time, I was being cocky. When I landed on the roof, I was hiding the fact I've hurt my ankle."

I knew it.

"Ok, Thomas. Breathe, alright?"

He nods and starts his breathing. I hold his hand and smile.

"Ok...ready?"

"No."

"Too bad...! One...two...THREE!"

We both jump off and we land on the safety net. As Thomas was struggling to break free, I help him a bit and we both fell off the net, his body falling on top of mine. I quickly scramble off of him and we both blush as we regain our balance.

* * *

We were now in the Dauntless training room. I scratch my head. What were we doing here? Just then, my father was coming into the room, a smirk on his face.

My father...?

"I dare you to touch her...", he says. "Touch her and I'll kill you."

I look at Thomas.

What exactly...was happening?

"Thomas, what's-"

Thomas grabs my hand and runs off. I hear footsteps following us. "You can't run from me that easily, Marshall.", says my father.

We hide behind a wall.

"I know that my father is scary, but WHY portray him like a villain?"

"Because...he seems real protective of you..."

"Wait. He's talking about ME?"

My father's footsteps come closer.

As we ran off again, I ask, "Why is he acting like this...?"

"He knows about us...well, about me and my simulations. He's using them to mock me."

"Ohhh, so you're _intimidated_ by him...?"

Thomas stammers before my father grabs him.

"Thomas, your breathing, remember?", I call out.

Thomas nods and starts to breathe, saying, "Liz is alright with me...she's safe. I won't hurt her; I promise."

My father's eyes soften up and lets him go, clapping him on the back and disappears.

We breathe a sigh of relief and he hugs me before we're in the school...

* * *

Why are we at the school? Of all places? I look around the place that I've sorta hated but secretly admired since it kinda shaped me as a woman. Thomas stops in front and shakes. I tap on his shoulder. When he didn't respond, I snap in front of his face. Then, I see what he was looking at. There was a girl with her long dark hair straighten talking with her two best friends by the lockers. Mason and Keira. We must be in school when we were fourteen. I know this because of my hair. I had my hair straight because Mason dared me. He was waving his hands in the air, saying, "Valley girl! Valley girl!"

The younger me punched him. "Shut up!"

Keira laughs and says, "Stop it, you two. We're in school!"

"School-schmool! We're DAUNTLESS!", cries Mason. "Dauntless don't care about _rules_! We care about...breaking stuff!"

"Mason, Mason, Mason...", says Keira, shaking her head.

The younger me laughed and shook her head.

Thomas looks at the younger me. As he was going over, he started to look younger. He goes over to tap the younger me on the shoulder, but he chickens out. I watch him regain his normal form and walk off.

"Thomas, come back!"

It was too late. He goes-well, almost-into the boys' room but goes back to me. He kisses me and goes to the younger me. His younger self taps her on the shoulder. The younger me sneers as she sees him.

"Ugh. Erudite. What do you want?"

"I'm just walking through, Dauntless."

The younger Mason sneers at him as he grabs Thomas by the front of his shirt. "Don't talk to Liz like that."

I remember this scene well. Mason was supposed to throw him in the trash can.

Thomas breathes in and says calmly. "I apologize. Liz, can you tell Mason to put me down?"

Huh?

"Huh?", me and Mason both say while Keira drops her jaw.

Mason puts him down and he gathers himself.

What was this about?

"Liz...I want to tell you..."

"What? Get on with it; I got class!"

Thomas hesitates.

What was this? Is this another one of his fears...? Talking to me...? Was this what he wanted to show me...?

Thomas breathes in and says, "I need to talk to you...alone."

Mason and Keira eyed him, Mason standing in front of Thomas with his arms crossed. "No way are _we_ letting you near her, you-"

The younger me puts a hand up and says, "Let the boy speak. But, my friends...stay here."

"Jut this one time...?"

"I go nowhere without them."

He sighs but grabs the younger me, dragging her away from my younger friends, making Mason growl and Keira calms him, holding his hand and squeezing it gently.

If I didn't have a rift with Keira right now, I'd say that that moment right there was romantic, but I was too oblivious to recognize it.

I watch both the younger me and Thomas walk into one of the classrooms. I open the door a bit so I could see and hear.

"The hell, Marshall! I don't to be in this-", screams the younger me before the younger version of Thomas kisses her on the cheek.

The younger me looks at him but my mouth was wide open.

"I...I like...you. I mean, I...uh...like your hair and..."

The younger me interrupts him kissing him on his lips.

If I wasn't in love with Thomas, I'd slap him. To my surprise, the younger me actually _kissed his mouth!_

The younger me puts a lock of her hair behind her ear and blushes at Thomas, smiling shyly at the former Erudite. I smile from my hiding place and here we were in the fear landscape...

* * *

I skip out of the fear landscape, my arms wide open and I twirl around in the middle of the hallways. "Best. Day. Of my LIFE!"

I hug him and my head snuzzles on his chest. Thomas wraps his arm around my neck slowly and kisses my forehead. I turn around and kisses his lips. Then, I hear a clicking sound. I turn to see who was there, but I see no one, so I shrug my shoulders. I go to the dormitory, alongside Thomas, and we're face to face with Marlon and the Candor twins. Farrah had a smile on her face and a camera in one hand. I shrug at them and head for my bed but check to see if anything has happened to it. When I see no signs of tampering, I lay down and think about the fear landscape. Thomas sits by me.

"I wanted to tell you for a long time.", said Thomas in my ear.

"Tell me...about her. Kylie."

"I liked you when I dated Kylie. When I found out about my crush...she cheated on me. So, I was mostly focused on being with you. That day when you had your hair straigten...made me realize my affections."

"Can I ask who she cheated on you with...if you know."

Thomas glares at Marlon, who was coming at us and he says, "Heard you two got busted for invading Erudite headquarters and hunting down Kylie. By the way...how was that adventure?"

I scoff. "Shut it, Marlon. S'none of your business."

Thomas rolls his eyes. "If I told you, Marlon, it wouldn't be much of a surprise to anyone."

"Is that your use of sarcasm?", asks Marlon.

"If it was...would you notice it?"

"Why are you so hostile?"

"Says the person who went after my first love and now is recruiting my second."

I cock up an eyebrow. Did Marlon take Kylie away from Thomas? Was he the one that Thomas was talking about...?

Marlon smirks and says, "Kylie was _using you_ , genius. I helped you."

"Does your term 'helping' by crushing me behind my back, well, mission accomplished."

"Oh, wah-wah! You're a fuckin' prima-donna! Kylie was mine from the beginning! YOU were just her tool."

Thomas grabs the front of his shirt but later let go when he saw the initiates coming inside. I got a glimpse of Keira and Mason holding hands. Keira was waving at me but I ignored her. Her hand falters. I roll my eyes and lay on my side. Thomas goes to his bed and covers his head with his pillow. Keira was looking at me with her sad puppy eyes and she heads into my area. I was going to sock her, but I sigh. Though her innocence was so fake and pitiful, I pretended to fall for her 'little act'.

She sat on my bed and said, "Hey. About the other day..."

"What other day?"

"You know. When-"

"Oh, THAT. Don't worry 'bout it."

"Are you-"

"Hey, there are my two favorite people!"

It was Mason, being Mason, flopping next to us and hugging us, so oblivious to our little beef with each other. Seems like someone didn't tell him the truth. Neither have I...Mason would die on the inside if he found out about his little girlfriend. I pretend to yawn and say, "Time for sleep, ya guys."

"Yeah.", says Keira. "Can't wait to see the fear landscape again."

I moan a little, thinking about Thomas and his fears.

Mason was staring at me, mostly because he was _right next to me..._

I pretend to cough and lay on my side. "Good NIGHT, you two."

Mason and Keira shrug their shoulders and went to bed.

I know; I know.

I 'should' forgive and forget the whole thing about Keira. But, I'm Dauntless. We're irrational. Does that make sense? Good.


	22. Trouble in Paradise

"Fore!"

A plastic bullet buzzes past my head as I go inside the cafeteria. It was Wyatt with a toy gun in his hands. He groans but it dissolved as he saw the pissed off look on my face.

"Sorry, bro...!"

"The hell, Wyatt? Are you trying to kill me?!"

"No...I was _trying_ to shoot a muffin off of Nyla's head...but she WON'T hold still!"

"It's not my fault!" says Nyla, taking a bite out of her blueberry muffin. "I'm very, very ticklish!"

"I can tell...remember initiation?"

"Shut it, will ya?"

Wyatt smiles his Chip Skylar smile and turns to me. "No offense, young blood."

"We're only two years older, stupid.", says Nyla, rolling her eyes. "Anyway, I dared Wyatt here to shoot a muffin off my head to see if he ain't blind as fuck..."

"I'm...seeing-impaired."

Nyla rolls her eyes and laughs out loud.

I watch him from behind him and he aims again, finally hitting the muffin, making Nyla catch it and take a big bite before offering some to Wyatt, who passed. I, however, ripped a huge piece and ate the whole thing before she could snatch it back from my grasp.

I hid behind Wyatt, who was laughing hardly, but Nyla nailed him in the head with her muffin, then screamed when she realized her mistake. Picking off of the floor, she blows it and bites into it.

"Gross, man!", yells Wyatt at his best friend.

"I knew there was some noise here...", says someone.

We turn and saw a short man with the same skin tone as Wyatt. He groans as he saw the man, who grabbed his ear.

"Ow, ow, OW!", yells Wyatt as he was trying to get out of his grasp. Finally getting away, Wyatt groans as he rubs the pain away from his left ear. "Damn, Dad...why do you have to be so damn aggressive!?"

"Why do you have to act like my damn brother?"

"Tom foolery, my dear father, runs in the family."

His father groans. "Why are you my son...?"

"Because Uncle Uriah is dead."

I cringe when I heard Mister Uriah's name. Uriah was one of my mother's friend, died after being token off of life support. Damn those stupid factionless!

"Why do you have to bring that up...especially in front of your friends!"

"Sorry for being a downer."

Wyatt sighs and groans.

His father, Zeke, pats him on the back but takes the toy gun from his hands, killing the fun. We all groan until Father comes in with a confused look on his face, but it disappears when he sees me, making his face more stern. Great...

As Wyatt nods at my father and leaves with his father, holding Nyla's hand, as Nyla smiles at my father, my father smiles at her but glares at me, like the whole thing was my fault.

"Dad, I know what you're thinking...it wasn't me. Swear to God..."

Father rolls his eyes and says, "Liz, I'm not an idiot. I know you didn't take the guns. Besides, you're not THAT sneaky enough to take our guns out from the closet."

"HEY! I AM that sneaky! Watch!"

Father grabs my white shirt collar before I cause more hyper-activity.

"Dammit, Janet!", I yell, tugging at his grasp.

"Why did you have to watch that stupid Rocky movie?"

"You know you loved that movie..."

Father rolls his eyes again and sighs. When he saw Mother, who was coming into the cafeteria with Lauren, he stops and smiles at her. Mother, blushing, waves at us. I sigh and nod. My mother was embarrassing when it comes to my father.

I sigh as I sit down to a table with Thomas sitting next to me.

We fist-bump and he says, "Morning, my fellow Dauntless."

"Morning...did _you_ just call me Dauntless...?"

"We all are Dauntless...well, soon."

"Cheers to THAT!"

"Are you gonna talk to Keira now?"

"Why?"

"I don't want you tearing your friendships up."

"She nearly _killed me_..."

"I know, but you two have been friends for years."

I groan. He's right. We had been friends. Why ruin this now over something so stupid? I hold his hand and rotate my thumb over the back of his hand. We smile then we let go. Mason and Keira came in, their eyes on us, their mouths frowning. What the hell was that about...? They sat down at a table away from us.

"What's their deal?", I ask.

"Maybe they're jealous of how you're spending more time with me.", he jokes.

I laugh and go to them, but they move away. Ok, this was irritating. I stop them by grabbing the collar of Mason's white t-shirt.

"Help...! Devil's got me!", he says.

"Devil...?"

"Heh."

"What the hell? Why are you two mad for? Are you on anti-depressants!?"

"Nope. We don't talk to the Erudite."

Erudite? They think I'm an **Erudite**?!

"Why the hell you guys think I'm an Erudite!"

"I don't know. Ask Thomas since you be around him all day!"

"Yea.", says Keira, finally. "I thought you said you hate him and the Erudites!"

"You act lie I'm hanging with _Marlon and the stupid freaking Candor twins!_ "

I glare at Keira when I said that, making sure she heard me clearly.

Mason hands me a photo and says, "This will probably consider your choices, Mrs. Marshall."

Did he just call me-

I look at the photo and my mouth flew...open.

It was me kissing Thomas at the fear landscape last night.

Farrah.

She must of took the photo last night...

No WONDER I heard a click! I'm sooooo mental! Wait until I see... _speaking of the devil!_

Farrah, her blonde hair cut and dyed black, comes in with her sister, holding Marlon's hand, making me angry and sick.

I run over to her and grab her, making her scream.

"Leave me alone, Liz!"

"Why do you like messing with me? _Mind your own damn business!_ "

"Lemme go, _Thomas!_ "

"Oh, hell no! You little-"

Father grabs me and takes me out of the room, cornering me.

"Calm down."

"No."

"Yes."

"You can't make me! Can't you see what they're doing! Do your damn job, Dad!"

"I can't keep my eyes on everyone, Liz!"

"Maybe if you weren't such a hothead, maybe you'll have control of those...those...assholes!"

"Watch it, Elizabeth Eaton."

"Everyone's always trying to control me! Not anymore! I'm nobody's fuckin' puppet!"

I storm off before bumping into Anna.

"Hey. I haven't seen you since you helped me with my wounds."

She nods. Her pink hair is now golden.

"Nice meltdown there."

I sigh. "I hate Farrah."

"Who doesn't?"

"Marlon."

"Ugh, gag me with a spoon! They're terrible! It's like Bonnie & Clyde the musical!"

I laugh then slowly cried. I'm breaking down in front of an Amity...former Amity, I meant to say.

"I wanna show you someplace. A place that might calm you down. Maybe you won't feel this way."

"Where?"

She gets up and takes my hand. "Amity."


	23. Johanna

"Amity...? Are you CRAZY?"

"What's the matter? I thought that the Dauntless were fearless."

"Are you challenging me?"

Anna smirked and said, "Bold for an Amity, huh?"

I look at her and smirk back. "Not bad for a former bunny."

"C'mon."

Anna sticks her hand out to me. I take it but stopped. "Are you sure we should do this? We have to have permission and an escort."

"That didn't stop you from infiltrating Erudite headquarters."

Shit, she got me there...

"You're a real Dauntless."

"I'm an observer, Liz, thanks."

Anna sticks her head out to see if the coast was clear, which it was, and she took my arm and pulls me out so we can escape to Amity.

What was so great about apple-picking and playing banjos?

We tiptoe past the guards and made our way to the exit; My gut was telling me that I should tell Thomas about this, but no one must know about my feelings. Not after that little incident.

We stood at the train station and jumped into the nearest train. Anna must have a photographic memory since she's progressed so much and so quickly.

The train, moving at what felt like a hundred miles per hour, was starting to give me a headache so I sat next to Anna, who was smiling at me and wrapped her arm around my shoulders, making me feel both safe and weird.

"Amity is not all about picking apples and playing banjos. We speak in what we believe and we agree to the outcomes, no matter how wrong it might be, but we do things in the name of peace.", says Anna, looking at me with saddened eyes.

I roll my eyes and shake my head, feeling irritated.

"No offense, but that sounds so stupid! Weren't you afraid that one of these days that one of those people would deceive you and plot some plan for the overthrow of your government?"

"Johanna is _not_ a dumb ass, Elizabeth."

My hand was about to ball up, but remembering my temper, I breathe quietly.

"Am I being a nuisance?", asked Anna, as if remembering her manners.

"If you were, I'd knock your ass out like Tyson."

I'd thought that scared Anna, but she was laughing... _laughing_!

"You are _not_ any Amity that I've seen.", I say, astonished.

"I'm different...from them. I knew it from the beginning. Talking peacefully was so...stupid, in my opinion. It was getting us _nowhere_. I knew I had to leave, though my mother disapproved it. She wanted to keep me near her, to protect me. She separated me from my father..."

"Why...? Who was your father…?"

"A former Dauntless."

That intrigued me. Probably it was because she said Dauntless. But, she said it as if she didn't want me to know who her dad was.

"Former Dauntless, huh? Did he get...kicked out or something? Did he switch factions?"

"Not important."

Anna gets up and walks to the door to jump off. I get up as well. She still has answers and I'm gonna get them out of her, even if it kills the both of us.

We jump.

As we land on our feet, I look around me.

Just as I suspect.

 _Rainbows and freakin' butterflies!_

"Excuse me for a minute.", I say to Anna, who shrugged.

I walk off for a second to find a nearby trash can and I pretend to vomit in it. God, this place is _extremely sickening!_ Why did I agree to come to this crap fest of a faction! Anna comes near me and shakes her head.

"Have an open mind, Liz."

"I 'apologize'."

Anna took it as an insult and left me to find, I'm guessing, Johanna.

I scoff and caught up to her. "One thing you need to know about me-"

"Apart from you're screwing Thomas."

I drop my jaw. Grabbing her by the front of her black hater top, I sneer. The effects of this were making her _smile_! This bitch! She was _trying_ to make me angry. Why make me angry when she brought me here to calm down...? I let her go because this was getting us nowhere. I walk off and I bump my nose upon a giant tree. I was about to kick it but I realize this must be Amity headquarters. Who would've thought that the center point of all of Amity would be a giant tree...? This is stupid. Anna holds my hand and guides me inside.

Instantly, a woman with long white hair and a _massive_ scar on her face runs up to Anna and embraces her, rocking her around in circles.

This...must be Johanna...

Johanna, breathing a sigh of relief, grabs upon her shoulders.

"I'm glad to see you safe, Anna. It's been a while...and you've brought along...a _Dauntless_..."

She looks at me and worries.

I guess they don't like us here. Typical.

"This is the daughter of Tris Prior and Tobias Eaton, ma'am. I brought her here to handle her anger."

"Ah, yes…the Divergent rebels..."

"Hey," I said, irritated. "My parents were MORE than Divergents...whatever the hell that is...they're _my parents_ and you will show them some damn respect! Just because we're not 'peacemaking hippies' doesn't mean we're...ignorant. We're more intelligent than that, you know. We _do_ have a brain up here. And how do _we_ know if _you people_ aren't deceitful, huh?! Having this place filled with dancing flowers and fake rainbows! I mean, all of this about 'such and such causing the world's problems' or whatever the... _freak_ Grampa Marcus said...you know what? This is _stupid_! This whole faction thing is _all stupid!_ THE WHOLE WAR WAS COMPLETELY MEANINGLESS! Why be separate from the world? It only makes us dysfunctional as a whole! I mean, isn't this what Mom and Dad fought for, and we're standing here doing _nothing_?!"

I heave but Anna was covering her mouth, I can't tell if she's shocked or laughing, but Johanna's face made her look worse than she looked from the beginning...! Her mouth formed a frown, making her scar harder to miss.

"She _is_ an angry little girl.", says Johanna.

"That's...kinda why I brought her here; for her to STOP judging the Amity.", says Anna.

"I do not _judge_ the hippies! My _friend_ is half-Amity!", I growl.

"I thought you're not talking to Keira."

"I'm...taking a break from her and Mason."

"All because you're dating an Erudite?"

" _Former_ Erudite...and mind your business!"

Anna smiles as she plucks a red flower from the tree and brings it to my nose.

"Hey, hey, HEY! I'm allergic to happiness!", I said.

Anna shakes her head. "Will you ever learn that we're not bad people...?"

I roll my eyes. "Christina's grandmother always said that people like you deceit to keep the waters still."

Anna groans until a small woman in red runs to Johanna. "My lady, my lady! There's trouble, my lady!"

"Trouble?"

"Yes. There's trouble in Abnegation!"

Abnegation? In trouble?

"Yes, Melissa?"

Melissa shyly gives Johanna a newspaper and screams, meaning she was looking at me. Since I AM a Dauntless-born initiate.

Anna looks over Johanna and blows.

"What?", I ask.

"Your parents are gonna be angry...", she says.

Johanna gives me the paper and I tear it up, storming out of Amity, with Anna following.

The title of the paper made me furious...

 _ **Hundreds of Abnegation Dead After Massive Explosion**_


	24. Anna and Liz

"Liz...Liz, wait!"

Anna was running to catch up to me but she should know that I'm much faster than her.

"No. This whole war thing is driving me nuts!"

"That's why Mister Four said to leave it to him to figure this out!"

"Dad was _always_ a loner...before he met my mom..."

Anna stops and shuts her mouth.

"Look, Lizzie. I'm sorry for your whole situation...but you have to leave it to the adults."

"Adults can't do this without us initiates, Anna! Besides, Anna...this is...personal."

"I get it. _Faction before blood._ The basic saying of the Dauntless faction."

" _All_ factions follow it, Anna."

"If _I'd_ follow it...I wouldn't be in Dauntless right now."

I look at Anna then shook my head and walked away. I hopped on the nearest train and Anna comes after me. We sat next to each other and my foot was tapping away. I was too pissed at the report. I should have known that the Erudite...that Joselyn...no. It was _Kylie_ who's responsible that almost all of the Abnegation is wiped out! She _was_ hiding in there, an undercover spy. The thought of it made me sick. But, the thought of my grandfather, my evil grandfather Marcus, being possibly dead, brings a mental smile on my face.

 _Oh, Grampa Marcus...where art thou fallen and bloodied up body...? We cannot find it, sadly. But, look at the bright side, dear Father. You don't have to see that disgusting and pitifully grimy face everyday for the rest of our lives..._

Oh, God!

I'm a horrible person!

I'm kidding...

"I can't believe it; we're going to war again...It's been, what, many years ago?", asks Anna, expressionless.

"Back when my parents were both bad asses? Yeah."

Anna laughs and wraps her arm around me.

We felt something under us shake like an earthquake and we nearly fall off of our seats.

"My God, what is that?", gasps Anna, crouching down and covering her head.

"Calm down! Maybe it was a tiny earthquake."

"Earthquakes..? We still _get those?!_ "

"What?"

"I don't know! I've been out of Amity for a long time! We've never get those... _earthquakes_ you speak of."

"Oh my _God_ , you're a damn wreck..."

" _You_ try being out of Dauntless for a few months!"

"Wanna go home?"

Anna shakes her head and slowly sits next to me. "Is it over...?"

I look out the window. Nothing yet. Then, we felt something hit the train!

A wheel must of been blown off and I saw sparks from the window.

Anna was running around in the cramped train, her arms flailing as she screams, "We're gonna die! We're gonna die!"

"Anna, shut up! We're not dead yet..."

"What are we-"

I hear someone, the conductor, screaming as she was trying to pull the breaks, which were stuck.

This was a disaster.

We need to think fast.

We need-

"Ahhhh!"

I run back into the other train car, my mouth opens as I see Anna kick the window, breaking it, and was about to jump out. She sees me and says, "Dauntless have no fear, right?"

Says the girl who was in a near panic minutes ago.

Instead, I smile and grab the conductor, jump out of the runaway train as it goes off into the distance. As we roll into the grass, Anna laughs and says, "Let's do this again!"

I glare at her but later laugh, 'cause I _do_ admit that it was fun.

I'm shocked that _I_ didn't do _anything_!

Anna, the former Amity, jumping out of a broken train, and _laughing in the grass_!

"WHOO! Let's do that again!", she cheers.

I applaud her efforts.

As we all get up, I groan.

"Great...now we have _to walk_!", I groan.

"Easy for you.", says the conductor. Who looks like a Condor from her black and white apparel. " _You_ don't have to pay for damages to my TRAIN!"

"Fuck your train! _We've been ambushed by a terrorist called Kylie, dammit!_ And _you're_ worried about a stupid TRAIN?!"

"Shhh…", says Anna. "I think we're being followed..."

We stood still, except for the conductor, who growls and leaves.

Stupid Candor.

We hear a rustling in the bushes.

Anna, pulling out a gun, screams, "Freeze! I'm armed!"

Spoken like a TRUE Dauntless.

Groaning, I remember that I DON'T have my gun, being in my dresser.

I make a fake gun gesture with my hand and fingers.

"Me too...Show yourself!"

Anna shakes her head. "Really?"

"What? It's better than nothing."

Anna rolls her eyes jokingly as someone comes out with their hands up, but me and the person glare at each other. The person, a young boy, had his once shaggy black hair shaved on both sides of his head and hoop earrings and I see the tattoo on his left forearm.

 _Liz Eaton_

Thomas...

He followed me.

"Why did I have that feeling that you were causing trouble?", says Thomas as he pinches the bridge of his nose.

"Did you SEE what happened?! Anna and I almost died!"

"No need for reminders, Lizzie."

"Me and Anna jumped out of a TRAIN. It was her idea!"

Anna sheepishly smiles as she puts away her gun.

We laugh and walk off.

"You guys can hold hands, you know. I won't judge.", says Anna, jokingly.

I look at Thomas, who looked as if pissed.

I don't blame him.

I left without telling him.

I try to hold his hand, but he beat me to it.

"You left headquarters and you dragged Anna into this."

"Actually-"

"It was my fault, Thomas. I wanted to calm her down, which didn't work, and we're going to-"

"I know. Abnegation. I figured that Liz has seen the report."

I growl. "Get outta my head, will ya!"

Thomas smirks as he stops to kiss me.

Anna, her eyes beaming, squeals and says, "Cute! I love it!"

"Are you sure that you're Dauntless and the Amity bunny in you is dead?", I joke.

Anna playfully bumps me, making me fall into Thomas's arms. We blush and hold hands again.

"Why the sudden change?", I ask Thomas.

He shrugs. "It felt needed. We're almost Dauntless. Gotta look the part."

I smile and kiss his cheek.

As we get to Abnegation, I nearly falter.

Most of it was in ruins.

We look around and Anna gasps. "So much disaster!"

"My parents' former faction in ruins...all because of these damn Erudite!", I growl.

"Calm down, Liz...", says Thomas.

But, we all stood still as we see Kylie, gun in hand, with a familiar figure, his arms and legs tied up, his mouth taped, his dark blue eyes staring innocently at me.

Grampa Marcus.


	25. Captured and Betrayed

I sneer at Kylie. Her silvery hair mocking me. Her icy stare cutting me like a knife. Her smirk intimidating me. I hate her so much! And she has my grandfather in her clutches. Even though, I want him to die so badly...he's still family. And my mother would disapprove of my behavior...or would she? I mentally shrug and say, "Kylie. Typical of you to kill nearly all of Abnegation. People like you deceit to keep the waters still."

Kylie smirks as she looks at all of us, her gun pointed at my grandfather's head. "Says the little girl whose parents killed my mother."

"Jeanine was an evil person...like you. My parents were _right_...though world peace is being seen as over-righteously impossible."

"Liz!", whines Anna.

I roll my eyes. "You Amity are babies."

"Will you stop picking on Anna and save your grandfather...?", says Thomas, who came close to Kylie, making her smile and eye him. "Kylie, you're being a maniac. Let go of Liz's grandfather and _leave_ the people of Abnegation alone."

"If I leave them alone, will you be mine again...?"

"After that bullshit you've pulled...never again."

"C'mon, Tommy. You know you missed me."

"Yea, I missed the daughter of a murderer."

I bit my tongue, trying not to laugh, but Anna was making it hard since she was **close** to laughing...!

Dammit.

Dammit, Janet.

What should I do?

Save my grandpa or let him die?

Goddammit, me! Why can't I make my own decisions!

Quickly, I grab Anna's gun from behind her and hit Kylie's arm that held the gun, making her scream and we ran, me grabbing my tied-up grandpa. As we go to a corner, I untied him and (my favorite part) ripped the tape off of his mouth. He screams in pain and glares at me. "Was that really necessary?!"

"Hey, you could be taped-up all you want! I could care damn less. And _you're welcome_ for saving your evil ass!"

"I SHOULD be saying that your erratic behavior is **unacceptable**! I'd rather be dead."

"Hey," says Thomas, angry. "You should be thankful you've been saved by your _only_ granddaughter."

Marcus, looking at my boyfriend with his pitying eyes, says, "I didn't know you cared about my grandbaby so much...knowing you two argue from time to time."

Me and Thomas looked at each other.

"None of your business of what we are, Gramps!", I growl. "We got other shit to do..!"

Anna runs off. "C'mon. Follow me."

We follow Anna, but my grandfather was slowing us down. Thomas tries to carry him by wrapping my grandpa's arm around his neck. As we go off to a corner, I was confused. Why are we at a dead end...?

"Anna, why are we at a...?"

The question went dead when dear Anna pulled a gun, aiming it at us.

"Stop where you are, Divergents."

Shit...

She trapped us...

* * *

As Anna hand-cuffs us, she takes us to a part of Abnegation that I didn't recognize.

We were inside of a plain grayish room where a bunch of Erudite dressed in blue robes await us, sitting in gray chairs with matching tables.

We must be at where the Abnegation meet for government meetings and stuff.

Where the Abnegation leaders meet.

Anna pushes me on my knees, making me growl and I stare at the blue-robed person in front of me.

A caramel-skinned woman with long black hair to the middle of her back and a sneer on her face.

Joselyn.

I'm in front of the person making my life a living hell and Anna was helping her.

"Anna, you bitch! Why are you on her side! Faction before blood, remember!"

Anna ignores me and kneels before Joselyn. "Mission accomplished, Mother."

Mother? Joselyn and Anna...? They don't even look alike!

"How...? Huh...? What?!", I sneer.

"She's my _stepmother._ …Joselyn took me under her wing when my mother tried to escape my father."

"Who...the hell is your _father!_ "

"He's...a good friend of your parents.", says Anna with a smirk.

"So, you're an undercover Erudite posing as an Amity, seeking out the daughter whose parents killed our leader...", says Thomas.

" _And_ who nearly got my father executed!"

Joselyn pulls her away from me and laughs. "Should've came to us when the offer was there, Elizabeth."

"I don't read fine print."

"Liz, think about this...the people of Abnegation taking things away from you...making do this when you want to do that...telling you what's right when it's wrong... _controlling you and making you who they want you to be!_ "

"Goddammit, Janet! Dammit, Janet! That's what you're doing right NOW!"

Thomas whispers in my ear, "Enough with Rocky Horror Picture Show _already_!"

"It's not my fault that I love movies!"

"Maybe if we survive, I'll take you out to a movie..."

" _If_ is the key word..."

"No more talking!", says Joselyn, a scowl on her face. "Now's the time for action!"

Joselyn grabs me by my shirt collar. "None of this wouldn't have happened...if you'd joined us."

As she drags me away, Anna asks, "What do you want me to do with...Marshall?"

Joselyn looks at Thomas and smirks, "I'll take care of him later..."

Joselyn takes into a jail cell, which I didn't know the Abnegation had, and throws me inside of it. Landing on my back, I grimace and sneer. "You stupid little...witch!"

Joselyn laughs and says, "Try to escape, Divergent rebel."

As she was leaving, my mind started to hurt and I scream.

"Lemme out of here, Joselyn! This is stupid!"

I was about to hit the bars, but it made me break some bones in my fingers, making me wince.

I sit on the ground and cry.

My family is going to die; my _former friends_ are going to die...!

And it's my fault!


	26. War!

I bury my face upon my knees as I sink to the ground and cry.

"Liz, move!", someone shouts.

I look up but no one was there.

I knew it was a male voice.

"Liz, _move it now_!"

I saw why he was saying this.

A grenade was on the bars.

I squeeze myself into a corner and hug my knees before the grenade finally explodes. I was unhurt, thank God, and I move slowly to the blown-up jail cell door, which the bars were hot from the explosion. I look around me as I make my escape, but someone grabs me from behind and covers my mouth to keep me from screaming! I struggle to break free, for the person was too strong for me. The strength of this person made me think of TWO things:

1.) My experienced kidnapping with Marlon, Brandy and...Keira.

2.) Mason and his oversized muscles

I'd prefer Mason better.

I was being carried by a masked person, making me think that I'm being abducted by Darth Vader, who was wearing all-black and we were in the streets of Abnegation. The fallen Abnegation.

As the person puts me down, he takes off his Vader mask, and it was...

Mason.

I hugged him tightly.

I didn't care if he hates me still.

I hug him because I miss him.

Stunned, he drops his helmet and hugs me back. His once curly hair was shaved into a buzzcut with a red bandana.

"Lizzie...things have different since you had your meltdown, dude."

"What happened...?"

* * *

 _At the fear landscape, Mason was sitting with Keira on his lap, holding hands._

 _"Liz has been acting weird lately."_

 _"Yea..."_

 _Keira looks at her sneakers, glumly. Mason knew that something was on Keira's mind. He had to figure it out. Even though, he doesn't use his brain like he should, he's not stupid. Especially when it comes to the ones that he loves._

 _"You two have been distant lately."_

 _"So? We don't like her; she don't like us. Thomas has been taken control of her."_

 _"Hmm. I've seen more of Thomas respecting her than irritating her nowadays..."_

 _"So typical. They're dating."_

 _"I don't have a problem. If Liz's happy...why not, right? We're dating and she's happy for us. Why be angry at her?"_

 _Keira looks at him. "Doesn't she HATE the Erudite?!"_

 _"Yea, but-"_

 _"Liz is a traitor, babe. She says one thing, then does something the next day!"_

 _"Why are you so ANGRY with her?"_

 _"I'm NOT. She's upset that Marlon kidnapped her and almost raped her!"_

 _The color of Mason's face drained and Keira covers her mouth._

 _"How did...you know? Keira. WHAT exactly happened?"_

 _"I-I-I just heard them bragging about it!"_

 _"Why do I-"_

 _Lawrence comes into the room and everyone goes silent._ _Lawrence had this look in his eyes for **weeks** now! That evil eye..._ _Mason no longer trusted him. Lawrence was more like...Jeanine...in male form._ _Four and Tris came in with Uncle Caleb and Christina, who was joking around with him about something from her and Tris' years as being transfers. Four does a head count and his body goes numb. He whispers in Tris's ear, making her gasp. Christina overhears and shakes her head and laughs._ _Thomas comes in and Four grabs his shoulder._ _He tells him something and Thomas shrugs his shoulders._ _Mason goes over to Four to see what was going on, but Lawrence was talking, so he sat back down, making Keira nervous. She had something to tell him really badly. But, Mason wasn't paying her no mind. He was more worried about Liz. But, little did he know that whatever Keira had to tell him would change their futures forever. The only question was...would Mason stay or go?_

 _"Today is Landscape Day, if you haven't realized. That means that you'll have to face your fears. Hope you guys have a plan..."_

 _He smirks at the end._ _Something about this made Mason's stomach hurt._ _Mason grabs Keira by the hand and sneaks out of the room, cornering her._

 _"Hey-"_

 _Keke, you know something. Tell me. Are YOU the reason she's pissed?"_

 _"FINE! Marlon and Brandy were planning to scare Liz into telling the truth about her Divergence...and...I tagged along. I was upset that Liz was doing better than us, so I went with them to kill her...and Marlon was touching her and stuff and it made me feel weird and I'm sorry, Mason, I AM really sorry!"_

 _Mason looks at her._ _Just looks at her._

 _"All of her tirades weren't her...fault. It's YOUR fault. No wonder she's pissed! You're fucking with Marlon!"_

 _"No, I'm-"_

 _"Why would you DO that!"_

 _"I'm sorry!"_

 _Mason blows and hugs her._

 _"We have to find her."_

 _"I heard that she was leaving with Anna to Amity."_

 _"Amity?", asks a young boy._

 _They turn and see Thomas coming to them._

 _"She's in Amity?", asks Thomas again._

 _"Yea.", says Keira._

 _"Man..."_

 _Mason grips his shoulders. "Go get Liz."_

 _"Ok. I'll tell her dad."_

 _As Thomas tells Four, he goes off with him, Uncle Caleb and Tris, leaving the initiates alone with Lawrence. Which was a **bad** idea..._ _He starts to inject them with the needle and syringe that he took out of his back pocket._ _As he was coming towards him and Keira, Mason saw that everyone's faces were going blank._ _Lawrence, however, puts Marlon, Farrah and Brandy to the side. Which wasn't a shocker. Lawrence DID favor them, after all._ _Mason didn't like this..._ _He grabs Keira's hand and dashes out of the room. Keira stops in her tracks. Mason turns._

 _"Babe, come on."_

 _"I also have something else to say."_

 _"I know you're sorry."_

 _"There's something else..."_

 _"What...?"_

 _Keira runs with him as she tells him what was on her mind during the few weeks in their relationship._

* * *

"I can't believe Dad left you guys alone with _Lawrence_! Does he not know that he's working for Joselyn!?"

"He IS? No wonder he's acting evil..."

"The night I was kidnapped by Marlon...I heard him talking to her and some other guy, I don't know...JEEZ! We're screwed!"

Then, we heard gunshots.

Mason gets his gun and shoots at the person, which he missed, and grabs me and we run.

"Where's Keira...?"

"Hiding with your mother and father. Your uncle's in the infirmary..."

"WHAT?"

"He got shot trying to run, but your mom's taking care of him."

"Ohmigod..."

"Yea."

"Have Thomas and my grandfather come to you guys..?"

"No..."

"Joselyn still has him...I'll be back."

"No, Liz."

"I HAVE to! Thomas is in danger!"

Mason sighs. "Fine."

I was going to leave, but Mason blindsides me, carrying me over his shoulders as he goes into an abandoned house, where we were in with a bunch of fallen members of Abnegation, including my uncle Caleb, who was waving at us, my parents, and Keira, who smiles meekly and looks away from me. Miss Christina was _supposed to be here_. Where was she? I look around and I didn't see her. I also remembered...Lucy. Was she killed? Oh, God, I hope that Lucy wasn't killed! Though she was a member of Jeanine's army, she was like someone I'm...kinda close to. You know? I hug both of my parents and grabbed a gun then tried to head out. No WAY am I going to stand back and let the Erudite WIN! Mother, however, puts a hand on my shoulder.

"You're not going by yourself."

"Ma, I _got to do this!_ Besides, I'll have Mason."

Mason nods vigorously.

Father sighs as he hugs me. "I'll come too."

My smile widens.

 _Finally,_ I thought. _Me, Mason and my dad in ACTION! I've ALWAYS dreamed of this!_

As we were set to head out, Father kisses Mother and Keira gets up to hug me and Mason.

"I want to come with you guys too.", says Keira.

I move her to the side, since I had to talk to her privately, and I whisper, "Keke, if you haven't realized...you're in a condition. I don't want you to hurt my little niece or nephew here!"

Keira's eyes widen. "You know...?"

I pat her belly lightly and hug her.

Me, Dad and Mason left before Mason kisses Keira.

Joselyn...you've messed with the _wrong_ faction!


	27. Plans of Rebellion

"See anything, Mase?"

"Nothin' yet, Lizzie."

"Dad?"

Four shakes his head.

I tiptoe to scan the area, which was clear, and I motion my fingers to make them come with me. Dad groans as he follows both me and Mason. I feel as if I'm a natural born leader, like my father, so I made myself the leader.

"This is a bad idea. Why did I let you guys come with me?", my father complains, which wasn't new to me.

I stop in my tracks to turn and face him.

"Dad, this is one of my _dreams!_ Me fighting alongside you and me fighting alongside Mason and Keira. Fortunately, I got both of my dreams combined since Keira is...*ahem*…unable to come. Let's kick some ass!"

Mason beats on his chest like an ape while Four groans. "You two are embarrassing."

Then, we heard gunshots. Four shoots at an area he thought he heard the gunshots from. But, he didn't hit anything! I look around me and saw a soldier in a black suit, similar to the one that Mason was wearing. I get it. Mason was wearing this as a disguise. Hopefully this would fool people. He was trying to aim at my father, so I grab him and said, "Move, Dad!"

We both land on the ground and Dad sighs a breath of relief. "Nice ears, my little soldier."

I smile. "Family traits."

We come closer to the Abnegation council place. As we go, Mason stops. I turn.

"Mase? Mason! What are you-"

My mouth dries up as a soldier has their gun pointed at the temple of Mason's head. Dammit! We've been caught!

"Freeze, you Divergent rebels! Surrender or else die!"

I recognize that voice. Dammit...

"Farrah, I know it's you! You got a LOT of damn nerve to show your ugly ass face here!"

"What? Aw, MAN! I knew something was up when Lawrence didn't inject you guys!", says Mason.

" _Lawrence was doing WHAT?_ Is THIS his doing!?", growls my father.

"I heard him Lawrence talking to Joselyn and some other dude the night _she and her goons_ kidnapped me!", I say.

Father grabs Farrah by her shoulder, taking off her helmet, which reveals her left cheek being scratched and her long blonde hair dyed blue. Typical. she must of dyed it blue for _Marlon_...

I pretend to vomit and Mason laughs as he joins me in my gags, but we stop suddenly when we saw my father's stern look. We know, we know. There's a time for fun and games. Now's not that time. The fate of all of Illinois (Chicago mostly) was in our hands. Well, mostly in my hands since this _was_ kind of my fault. I'm Divergent. Dad's Divergent. Mom's Divergent. Keira's pregnant. And Mason's...Mason.

"If you don't tell me what Lawrence and Joselyn's intentions are, Farrah, I swear to God, Ill kill both you AND your sister! Got it?", threatened my father.

I hold him back.

"Dad, chillax! We got this...when have me and Mason let you down? Right, Mase?"

Mason smiles, showing his teeth, and spins his gun like a cool guy, but his finger accidently pulls the trigger, almost shooting off my foot! _Almost!_ I put my fists upon my hips and glare at him, shaking my head.

"The _freak show_ , Mase! WHAT the freak show?"

"It was an accident! Don't kill me, Lizzie!"

I was close to punching him, but now's not the time. Four handcuffs Farrah and kept her close to him.

"You're not gonna get a word outta me! Nope! Not a peep!"

"You and your little posse _really_ like gettin' under peoples' skin.", says my father.

I trip Farrah and she falls and scrapes her knee.

Farrah was about to come after me, but my father grabs her and yells, "Knock it off, you two! If you haven't **noticed** by now, the factions are trying to overthrow each other!"

"Forget the factions! We need to save the world! Save the world before the _factionless go nutso like last time!_ ", I say.

Mason shudders. "So many bodies."

"Don't think about it, Mase! We need our brains for the-"

"AHHH!"

Farrah had been hit!

Someone else has been watching us!

"RUN!", I yell as I grab her and dragged her away, Mason and my father following me.

I turn to aim at the soldier, hitting him in the arm. The soldier clutches his arm and tries to shoot me, but my father stood in front on me and gets hit!

"DAD!"

I hold on to my father as he was slowly going to the ground.

"Mason, do you have bandages?!"

"On it, Liz."

He checks his stuff for bandages while Farrah had a smirk on her face.

"Knock that smirk off your fuckin' face!", I say.

"Knock...it off, Liz.", my father says but he starts to cough up blood.

"MASON, hurry!"

"Got it!"

Mason got his bandages and wraps up my father's torso successfully. As he was going to wrap up Farrah, I try to stop him by saying, "Let 'er die, Mase. She's not worth the anger."

"Elizabeth...stop.", my father says as he slowly gets up, clutching on his side. "Mason, wrap her up. She could be useful."

Farrah looks at us with disbelief and scoffs.

As I wrap my father's arm around my neck, Mason carries Farrah on his back. Then, we hear more gunshots and the fallen soldier that I shot in the arm comes to us with his gun aimed at us. Apparently, he wrapped up his wound.

"Drop your weapons!"

A young kid's voice I recognize.

No...

Wyatt.

"DROP them, Divergent."

I put my gun in my pocket and put my hands up in the air. I feel as if a weight dropped in my stomach. As Wyatt handcuffs me, I yell, "I want my one free phone call! No jail cell can hold me!"

" _Knock_ it off, Elizabeth!", scorns my father.

I laugh as I walk off with him.

"Wyatt, you're a joke! The whole Erudite's a joke! FREE THE DAUNTLESS!", I say.

As we walk off, I hear, "Abnegation scum!"

I turn to see a woman with a snake tattoo on her forearm shooting at some Abnegation council members. She knocks an elderly to the ground, one foot on his back, and she shoots him on the back of his head, killing him. A knot in my stomach twists and turns inside of me. Lucy. She's now a victim all because I didn't listen to what she said. I HAD to let myself be known. I HAD to open myself up to...I can't say his name. NO! It'll give me feels. For all I know, he might be dead. Dead because of me. We go back to the Abnegation council, kneeling before the Erudites judges in blue, back to Joselyn, who was sitting next to Anna (traitor), Lawrence (asshole), and a young-looking man with long sleazy black hair pulled back and multiple piercings on his face and ears, making me kind of nauseous. Was he Dauntless? Whatever he was, it made my father look up in shock and disgust.

"YOU! You're a PART of this?! I thought you were dead!", screams my father.

The gothic looking dude gets up from his seat before kissing Joselyn (gross) and steps from the steps to sneer at my father.

"YOU, dear Four, thought wrong. I'm alive and well. Except for Max, of course, you know about. I, on the other hand, managed to escape death."

The man smiles, making the piercings look scarier.

I recognize that voice...

 _He_ was the one!

 _He_ was the one who was talking to Joselyn and Lawrence that night!

He must be Anna's dad...

He looks at me, Oh God, and tries to touch my face. Luckily, I knew martial arts like my parents and kick him in the gut. But, I missed and he grabs me by the neck.

"Let go of my daughter, Eric!", says my father.

"Eric...?", says Mason.

"The notorious Eric Coulter. Wow...", says Farrah.

"Whoa, whoa, WHOA! THIS is what Eric looks LIKE? ERIC'S YOUR DAD, ANNA?! GROSS! You Erudite must be damn desperate to get laid by anyone!", I say.

"Liz.", says Father.

"WHAT? It's true!"

Anna skips towards me and hugs me. I shrug her off. Though I was handcuffed doesn't mean I'm weak.

"Whoa! You **betray** us and now you want to be friends?! _I'm not stupid!_ I'm an Eaton! Eatons, unlike my grandfather, aren't dumb asses."

Anna smiles. "I know...Miss Divergent."

I grab her by her newly cut ponytail, which was back to her platinum blonde, and twist her around to face me, my face close to hers. "Where's. Thomas."

"Don't know. Probably dead. Who cares, right? You don't like the Erudite, remember?"

"You...did...WHAT?"

I choke her before being apprehended by Erudite reinforcements.

"That's my boyfriend, you cowards! You attack my family! You attack my friends! Now, you attack Thomas! Fight me, you assholes! Let's go!"

Father tries to stop me, but I wasn't having it. Wyatt takes my hair and pulls me back.

"Stop, Anna.", says Joselyn. "We still got Thomas in our hands."

"WHERE?", I ask, frustrated.

Two Erudite officers were coming with Thomas, who was bruised and shirtless, in their clutches, throwing him to the ground. I run over to him and hug him. Thomas rubs his head and says, "Liz..."

I press my finger on his lips gently and say, "Shut up, ok? Just...talk later, ok, when you're better."

Thomas slowly sits up and hugs me. My eyes were stinging from my stupid tears. "What. Did they DO to you!"

"Doesn't matter."

"YES, it does! Did Kylie did this! Or Joselyn? TELL me, please..."

"Just some of the Erudite, that's all. I manage to get some hits in."

"Good."

He kisses me then groans in pain.

"Sorry.", I say.

"Not you. I'm. Hurt."

I help him up, but Joselyn looks at us.

"Look at the two Divergent lovebirds..."

"What...? Don't be stupid. I'm the only-"

I stopped. "Thomas...? Are you...?"

One plus one equals _duh_!

They beat him up because...Thomas is...Divergent...

Like me.

Oh, God.

I look at him with worried eyes and held his hand, rotating my thumb like how Dad does Mom.

Joselyn smirks. "Such a disappointment that you left us, Thomas...I didn't want to do this to you."

"Can't believe your star is dating the daughter of the girl who _shot my foot_ and the boy who coulda been one of us...!", says Eric, noting that his foot was still bandaged from the last time they fought.

I snicker. "I remember Mom tellin' me that. You and Mister Hayes just couldn't handle a transfer from Abnegation."

"I remember Peter.", says Dad. "He fled after his memory was erased when the factionless tried to take over."

"Smart, Four.", says Eric. "Now that we have Abnegation token over...do you consider joining us..?"

"Like I want to join you scum...", says Four.

"Heh. It was a stretch. Not like you were useful, anyways..."

"Thomas, however...", says Joselyn.

Thomas looks at her.

"Whatever you have planned, I'd rather die."

"NOT an option, Thomas. I've been studying you for years. You're a VERY intelligent young being, Thomas. We need someone like you..."

Joselyn puts a hand on his shoulder, but he shrugs it off, making her smirk.

"Liz, I DO wish I have something for you...but alas...nothing comes to mind for you and your friends. Your father is dying, Farrah is...useless-"

"HEY! I'm still good! I didn't tell them about the plan!"

"Joselyn's planning to overthrow Abnegation, a dream that Jeanine wanted for so long.", says Thomas.

Joselyn smiles. "Smart. Told you. Time to go, Tommy."

"NO. I'm not leaving without Liz!"

"Too late. They're ready to die anyways...Guards!"

The guards come to take us away, but Thomas wasn't having it.

"Guys, no!"

Thomas runs towards me and kisses me before he goes to punch Eric and attack Joselyn, his hands strangling her neck, like Dad strangling Jeanine.

Two guards pull him away, one of them pinning him down while Anna gets a needle and syringe in her hands.

No...

The guards were pulling us away.

Then, my stomach turns as I caught a glimpse of Anna stabbing Thomas's neck with the needle, injecting him. I let out a scream before someone knocks me out and I was dragged away.


	28. The Footsteps of a Divergent Dauntless

I wake up slowly, finding myself laying on a glass floor.

"Wh...what the..?", I mumble before waking up fully.

I'm inside of a glass box, inside of a dark room with cramped space. I growl and bang my fists on the glass, yelling, "Hey! Hey...! Lemme go! Joselyn, you'll pay for this...!"

I bang and bang but no one was there, obviously, to hear nor see me. Except I saw a pale blue light turn on. I cover my eyes and hiss. Damn the blue light! I see a caramel lady in a blue halter dress down to a little below her knees and Greek-based sandals, Joselyn, and a pale girl with platinum blonde hair, Anna, who was wearing her Amity red dress from our Dauntless initiation, come into the room and smirk at me. I bang on the glass, my face pressed against it and say, "You Erudite will _pay_ for your BS!"

Anna was about to say something but Joselyn says, "Dear Elizabeth, you haven't learned a thing, have you? The Abnegation are scum. They **deserve** to die."

"What does this have to do with us?! The Dauntless are NOT toys!", I yell through the glass.

Then, I heard the sound of water, making me panic as I look at my feet, water flowing to my socks. I scream and bang on the glass. Joselyn laughs and holds on to Anna for support since she was laughing so hard. Joselyn wiggles her fingers, as if to say goodbye, and grabs Anna to come with her, but Anna looks back at me with sympathetic eyes. Closing the door behind them, they left me to my death. My upcoming death, that is to say. The water goes up to my kneecaps and I start to panic. My mind boggles as I think of ways to escape. Then I remember my gun in my pocket. Yes! Those idiots didn't confiscate it, thank God! I grab it quickly while I'm waist-up with water and shot at the glass, cracking it and I kick the broken part, making it smash. The wave pushes me out of the glass container, making me lay on my stomach. I open the door and went out to find Thomas. But, before I do that, I must rescue Mason and my father. Farrah, I could care less, but my mother would scold my behavior, so I groan and run to a corner where I heard some screaming. Farrah. Dammit! I was hoping to find my father first! There was an open room where I peeked in, seeing Farrah in chains being beaten by two soldiers. I shot them in their backs, hopefully killing them, and grabbed the keys for the chains. As I unlock her chains and bust her out, we run to go and find Mason.

"I can't believe that Thomas is Divergent.", I mutter to myself.

Farrah manages to overhear and laughs. "Thomas? That asshole douche? Divergent?! What a joke!"

I stop in my tracks to glare at her. "Is **every single freakin' thing** you say have to be an insult!?"

Farrah rolls her eyes and scoffs. "Not _every thing_ is a damn insult. I'd be _willing_ to compliment you...if you weren't such a bitchy character..."

Farrah was slowing down, so I had to carry her due to her wounds. If it was up to me, since there was nobody to tell me what to do and how to act, I'd leave her to die, but I'm not. The fate of the factions rests in my hands...my Divergent Dauntless hands. I touch things with the hands of a Divergent Dauntless. I walk with the footsteps of a Divergent Dauntless. The label of a Divergent Dauntless will forever be stuck with me...and Thomas. Forever. Stuck.

"What happened to your face?", I ask as I run and carry Farrah at the same time.

"Your dumb ass friend, Keira, scratched me! When she and your other dumb ass friend found out what Lawrence was doing, she jumped me and scratched me! When Marlon tried to get her off of me, that brute boyfriend of hers bashed him on the head. Don't know what happened to him and my sister though. Last time I saw them is when Lawrence took them. Whatever he and Joselyn and Eric are planning must be _incredible_! Making the world better and making sure that the factions have a say all the time is-"

"THEIR version of 'making the world a better place' is _mutiny_ , Farrah! They're killing innocent people! My family's people! Can't you see that!"

"Wah-wah, Liz! Want us to sing 'Kumbaya' and hold hands? _We're adults now, Liz!_ Might as well enjoy your life while you still can since _we're ALL gonna die anyways!_ "

I drop Farrah and storm off. How DARE she say all of those things to me?! How was she so... _hypnotized?!_ Fortunately, I bump into Mason, who fell on the floor. I grab his hand and helped him up. He dusts himself off and nods at me. "What's the plan, Stan? _I sat in the fuckin' electric chair, you guys!_ Yet...that was FUN!"

I slap him on the back of his head.

"Ow...! What...? Gettin' electrocuted is FUN!"

" _You almost died, you damn idiot!_ They're killing us slowly! Farrah was **beaten to death**...well, almost...but you get it!"

Then, we hear footsteps.

"Run," says Liz. "Run and find Four!"

Mason grabs Farrah and we split up before I bumped into Anna. She looks at me as if I was a ghost then hugs me. I wanted to push her off of me, but something was wrong. Anna looks frightened.

"My mother...", says Anna.

"What...?"

"I thought she was dead."

"Well...isn't that-"

She grabs me and pulls me away.

"Hey...! I need to find Four!"

"My mother, Liz. You don't...I always thought she was dead."

"Weren't YOU the same one whose _stepmom_ is trying to kill MY family?!"

Anna stops and slowly kneels to the ground and starts crying.

Ok...don't know what to do here.

How do you cope with a crying person?

I _really_ need to work on my people skills.

Anna brings me into another dark room where we were hiding. We peek in and see Eric talking to a woman with platinum blonde hair, wearing a long red dress and matching lipstick, looking as if she was in her mid-thirties but had the face of an angel. Anna was pacing back and forth but I hold on to her so we won't get caught.

"You'll never get away with this, Eric!", says the blonde woman, who was in handcuffs and looked as if she hadn't eaten in days, making me sick.

"Oh my God," I whisper. "She looks so..."

I stop as I heard Anna sniffling behind me, holding on to my torso.

What the **hell** is going on here?!

Why was Anna being so weird...unless...

This must be her mother.

"Oh, dear Crystal, we've already have! Me and Joselyn have Illinois in the palm of our hands...! And thanks to Jeanine's legacy, Joselyn will go down, not only as the face of Erudite, but _the face of all of Chicago_!"

"Can't you see that you're a PAWN to her?"

Eric chuckles lowly and shakes his head.

"Crystal, Crystal, Crystal, darling...you're a piece...of wonder."

"Yea, a piece of wonder that tried to keep Anna from learning your evil ways...!"

Anna was covering her ears and crouching down, making me nervous. Did Eric tell Anna that her mother was dead...?

Crystal stood up, fumbled a bit before regaining her balance, clinging on Eric's shoulders and looks him in the eye. "Anna...where is she...? What have you done to our daughter! Where's Anna?!"

Anna was about to go in there but I pull her collar.

"Don't be stupid!", I hiss. "This is a trap...!"

Anna shakes her head. "That's my mother, Liz! They've captured my mother and they're torturing HER! Look at her! She's feeble!"

"Where is our daughter, Eric!"

"With me and Joselyn. Face it, Crystal. You've failed to keep Anna in Amity! She's mine now..."

"You don't love her like I do, Eric! You just want to control her like how Joselyn's controlling you…! When we met at first, I thought you were a sweet man...now I see your wicked ways...!"

I pulled Anna away before we get caught. Anna sniffles.

"Dad told me that Mom only kept me from Amity because she wanted to trap me. To harm me. And she didn't love me. Dad **lied to me**! Seeing what the Erudite are doing to my mother is making me sick, Liz! We have to help her!"

"Why should I..."

I stop to think. What the hell am I thinking..?! This was someone's mother who was _dying in the hands of the notorious Eric Coulter_ and I'm just doing _nothing of the sort_! I knew I was Dauntless through and through but this was sickening! I shake my head and hold on to anna before I hear Eric's voice again.

"Crystal, I do love you...but now...your death is now. Say goodbye."

I peek and see Eric with a gun in his hands. My heart pounds faster when Anna runs into the room and wraps her arms around her malnourished mother while Eric stood there with the gun in his possession. Watching Anna cling on to her mother made me think of my _own_ mother. How is she...? Oh God, I hope everyone in that abandoned house wasn't dead...! Especially Keira...! THAT would made me feel even WORSE...! Anna was mumbling and crying to herself as her mother, Crystal, was surprised as she slowly wraps her arms around her daughter. There was a lump in my throat. I am not, I repeat, NOT crying...!

"Eric, " I say as I kick the hand grabbing the gun and caught the gun successfully without shooting my foot (*Ahem*…Mason!) and aimed it at him, making him have both his hands in the air but a smirk on his face. "By the power of Dauntless authority, you're under arrest for murder of innocent victims, kidnapping your own daughter, and holding your ex-wife hostage. Put both hands behind your back. Now!"

Eric comes close as I was about to handcuff him, but he kicks me on the side of my ribs and runs off.

"Liz!", cries Anna as she wipes off her tears and grabs Eric's gun, shooting him on his leg. He groans in pain as he grabs his wounded leg. We run off while I carried Anna's mother.

"Anna...you know I wasn't trying to...", says her mother before being shushed by her daughter.

"Mom, I know now. Dad...*sigh*…I've should've known better. I'm sorry, you guys."

"You've redeemed yourself by shooting your deadbeat dad...!", I joke.

Anna wipes some more tears and thanks me. I hear someone calling my name. It sounds like my father...!

"Guys, my dad's somewhere! C'mon!"

We go into another room, which was filled with pale blue light. My mind was boggling when I saw my father, tied up and his mouth taped-up, and Thomas with a gun in his hands, aiming at my father...


	29. Come Back, Thomas!

"Dad...Thomas, no...! NO! Let him go!"

I was about to run over there until Thomas held me at gunpoint.

"Make one more move, Divergent, and I'll kill you."

I stop and put my hands up. Thomas smirks.

"Good little girl...now, drop your weapon."

Father was trying to tell me something, but I couldn't understand due to the tape on his mouth. Damn it. I came closer to Thomas.

"Tommy, it's me. Lizzie...remember?"

"Ah, how could I forget the little bitch who put my family through hell?"

My heart dropped. I turn my head to Anna.

"What...the _hell_ did you do...?!"

"I don't know! I just did what Joselyn told me, Liz! I'm sorry!"

Joselyn must of not told Anna her plans. She gave Anna some kind of needle that made Thomas's memories of us erased. He only remembers the bad, not the good. Shit.

"DROP your weapon, NOW!", screams Thomas.

"FINE!", I groan as I drop my gun and kicked it to him.

He grabs it and tosses it in the air, smirking as he caught it. Scumbag cocky bastard.

Mason runs in there with Farrah in his arms.

"Liz, I heard scr-"

He stopped midsentence as he saw me and Thomas.

"Hey, Thomas, we found you!"

"Mason, get AWAY!", I say.

"Why...? Isn't this a Kumbaya moment?"

I groan.

Thomas turns and flakily smiles at Mason and he high-fives him.

"Mason...my man.", says Thomas.

"Mason, go!", I say.

Mason extends his hand to shake hands with Thomas, but as Thomas grabs his hand, Mason flips him around, his back on the floor and Mason takes the guns away from him.

"I don't get why you guys take me as an idiot!", says Mason.

My heart stops pounding and I sigh. Thank God for Mason. Mason tosses me my gun back and I caught it then I looked around me. Computers. We must be in the surveillance room. I thought that only the Dauntless have those rooms. I guess Joselyn was smarter than I thought. My father was struggling to break free, but it was no use. Mason goes to help out Four while Thomas wasn't looking. I look at one of the computers and my heart drops as I see two soldiers heading for the abandoned house my mother and the others were hiding. Turns out that one of them was Brandy, her blonde hair cropped into a blue bob, and the other was Marlon, who had two blue bandanas, one covering his mouth and one wrapped around his sleeveless arm. Guns in hand. I swallowed and tried to hide my emotions inside, but it didn't work. I felt the tears streaming down my face. My mother, Keira, my Uncle Caleb, everyone was going to die and it was my fault. I aim my gun at Thomas. My arm trembling. I wipe my tears off with my shoulder.

"I ain't wanna do this, Tommy, but I don't have a choice. Stop the madness or one of us die."

Thomas laughs and shakes his head. "You're SUCH a dumb ass, Liz. You _actually_ think that I'll fall for this pity act of yours?"

"No. I don't. But that doesn't mean I can't try."

"You're willing to die...?"

"It's better than living in this crabhole of a society. I'm not leaving here...without you. Thomas, wake UP! Joselyn is controlling you! She's controlling _everyone here!_ She's turning friends against each other! Remember _faction before blood_?! Remember US? Your Dauntless family...? Four, Mason, Keira, Tris, Caleb, Anna...me..."

I came closer to Thomas, making him stagger. Thomas manages to backflip his body upright and takes his gun from Mason, who wasn't paying attention. Mason swears under his breath but Four, being free finally, pats him on the back, while ganging up on Thomas, who was backing up, his back against the wall.

"Stay away from me, Divergent..."

Thomas was lowering his gun but brought it up again to aim at me. His eyes fiercely glaring at me.

"Yes...fight it, Tommy. I know you can do it. YOU'RE Divergent, too!"

I coulda sworn that I saw his eyes...his beautiful bluish-green eyes...soften up.

"Lizzie..."

"Yes, Tommy...it's me, remember? Lizzie...!"

Mason looks back and forth at us as I come closer and closer towards Thomas slowly.

Thomas shakes his head, glaring at me, as he shot at me, but I moved out the way. Luckily, no one was harmed. Anna screams and crouches as she covers her ears. Her mother holding on to her like a child.

"Thomas, PLEASE wake up! Look around you! Look at the madness! Everyone's gonna DIE! If you can't...wake up...then just shoot me already! I don't care! But, remember..."

I took a deep sigh as I was holding back tears.

"Thomas, I know I was...never nice to you...or respectful...or caring...you get it. But..."

I was choking on my words...and my pride. I swallowed and finally let it out.

" _I fucking love you, Thomas Marshall!_ "

Thomas's arm that had the gun lowered to his hip and his eyes soften. But, he shakes his head and growls.

"Liar! How do I know if this isn't one of your games, huh?! You, Mason and Keira have been playing us for dummies for _years_ and you expect ME to fall for this...clown buffoonery!"

I came closer to hug him. His body goes numb and his hands hover. My ear was close to his chest, making me hear his heart beating. My breaths were silent, but in my heart, I knew that he was trying to fight this simulation. I kiss him on his neck and snuzzle on his chest, though I forgot that my father was _literally standing right there...!_ Mason tries to stop my father from rampaging by telling him to let me handle this. Father groans. He knew that Mason was right. Haha. I gasp as something magnificent happens. Thomas's gun drops and his hands were on my shoulders, his fingers pressing hard on my shoulder blades. I cry out in pain. Was this his newest way to torture me...?

"Jeez, Lizzie, you're _soaking_ wet...! What'd you do, swam before you got here...?"

Thomas.

He's back...

I kiss his cheek and hug him tightly. Mason whoops while Anna claps and her mother smiles. Farrah sighs a breath of relief. Four smirks and folds his arms like a cocky bastard. Thomas looks around him.

"Whoa...was this ME...? This shit is _incredible!"_

I slap him on the back of his head and growl.

"What...? Not like that...! Like...you know. Wow."

I shake my head then remembered the abandoned house.

"Uh, guys...we got a problem here.", says Mason.

We look at the monitor.

"Freeze, Divergents!", screams Marlon as he busts open the door.

We hear my mother screaming and saw my uncle stand up to protect her.

"Thomas...stop this!"

"On it, babe.."

He finds a keyboard and types in a code.

"Guys, they're barging in!", says Mason.

"Marshall, hurry...!", says Four.

Thomas types faster and presses the Enter key.

Marlon was about to shoot my mother, but stops to look around him. He drops his gun and slowly gets on his knees, shaking his head, rocking back and forth, while Brandy was screaming out loud. YES! The Dauntless were waking up! Joselyn's plan failed! They all cheered and me and Thomas kissed. My heart sank when Joselyn and Eric came into the room.


	30. Factions Unite!

"You Divergent scumbags...!", screams Joselyn, pulling her ponytails and growling.

Eric was hobbling on one leg since his leg was shot and now bandaged due to his own flesh shooting his leg off (*my snickers in the background*).

I wrap my arms around my boyfriend's torso as he was glaring at his former leader and her husband.

"Leave us alone, Joselyn. Your reign of terror is over now. We've won; you lost. Now, it's time for your arrests. Put your hands where we can see them now!"

Joselyn giggles and says, "You idiots REALLY don't understand me, don't you...? The Abnegation aren't pure, get it?! THEY'RE EVIL! Don't you guys want to _express yourselves_ in your own individual ways...?"

I look at Four, Mason, Farrah, Anna and Thomas and they all have worried expressions on their faces. Well, all except for Farrah. Of course. She was still hypnotized by Joselyn's stupid and pathetic lies. I shake my head and growl.

"Joselyn, Jeanine was a mind-manipulator! She tricked people into doing what she said and getting what she wanted! Do you REALLY want to live a life like that...? Where corruption is okay and people deceit to keep the waters still? I know that my friend's grandmother says that to describe the Amity...*AHEM*….but...we should _unite the factions_ instead of keeping us separated...wouldn't that be nice...?"

Four sniffles and wipes his eyes with his hand then looks at me, embarrassed. He pretends to cough and cross his arms like his old self when he was younger. Leaning against the wall. I scoff.

"Dad. No one's buying the damn cool guy look."

"I'm not acting, Liz. I'm-"

"A _faker_. C'mon, Dad. Shed some tears. You're not gonna melt like the Wicked Witch of the West!", I joke.

Four rolls his eyes.

Thomas comes close to his former leader, making her cringe and shudder, and hugs her.

"Joselyn…..you may be evil...but you taught me a lot about myself. Like how to analyze people due to body movement. How everyone's auras give off a differently beautiful colored vibe..."

I try to stiff a giggle but up collapsing in laughter.

Thomas rolls his eyes. "You try to be sincere and this is what you get..."

I roll my eyes. "Shut up, Erudite. You know I don't take shit seriously..."

"I think I've learned that since we were four."

"You still remember the gum incident..?"

"You and Mason chewed up BIG wads of bubble gum and stuck it on my bike...!"

Mason laughs and sighs. "That was fun as hell, you know."

"Yea, fun for _you two_! I had to scrape it off with a spatula!"

"We said we were sorry!", I say.

"Mason did...! On his own. You, on the other hand, had both our mothers force you to apologize to me, only for you to write up the apology, say it half-heartedly and crumple it and threw it in my face..!"

Four hisses through his teeth and groans. "Liz...!"

"What...? You act like I've committed a crime scene! Besides, you guys weren't there to tell me otherwise and I was left alone to commit mayhem! AND there were no witnesses!"

Four groans and Thomas shakes his head.

"Anyway," says Thomas. "I'm a different person now. Yes, I used to hate Liz. I mean...my **family** hated Liz, but I...*sigh*...I can't explain it. My thing with Liz...now is...inseparable. I love her. She loves me. You see how a war brings people like us together...?"

I hold his head and rotate my thumb, smiling at him.

Joselyn sighs. "You're right. I have no choice. Separation from the world brings nothing but injustice."

"What are we to do now?", asks Farrah, who was struggling to get up and move.

" _We_ need to get you to a doctor.", says Joselyn.

Four and Mason hold Farrah by the arms while Anna wraps her mother's arm around her neck. As we were all leaving, I hear a click and turn to see Eric loading his gun and aiming at us.

"Not so fast! We're not done here! We have a _world_ to conquer, Josie!"

"Eric, you're crazy...! Sweetie, put the damn gun down!"

"Heh-heh...you're the one who is crazy, my love. Listening to a bunch of snot-nosed brats!"

I sniffle my nose and wiggle it around. Shrugging my shoulders, I say, "I don't feel any snot in my nose, Eric. You're inaccurate."

Thomas groans and says, "Gross, Liz..!"

"What...? He called us 'snot-nosed'!"

Thomas rolls his eyes and kisses my temple.

Joselyn comes closely to her husband, her deranged husband, slowly, her hands to her torso as she calmly says, "Baby. Baby, I love you, you know that, right...? Put the gun down, honey..."

"No! I want my revenge against the notorious Four! Whose WIFE shot off my foot!"

Eric shoots at Four's arm, making him wince and scream out loud. Mason wraps up his arm and I run after Eric, who was trying to run, only to stumble and fall. I grab his gun and was about to shoot him. But, my subconscious made me stop. Damn it Janet! I lower my gun and handcuff Eric instead. He snickers and asks me why the change of heart. I shrug and simply say, "My mother taught me better than this. Killing you would be not a necessity but a unnecessary craving. I don't need the extra calories."

After handcuffing the crazed-mined Eric Coulter, we walk out of the building and we see the Dauntless running around with their heads cut off like chickens (which I don't get how the hell that works")! I walk around, glancing at all of the dead Abnegation bodies and suddenly I felt nauseous. I pull Thomas's grip from my hand and I went over to a nearby trash can, vomiting and screaming and crying. Thomas rubs on my back and tries to comfort me, but it was no use. The pain was unbearable and it was sickening. I managed to calm down after a few minutes but went STIR CRAZY after seeing a familiar dead body on the ground. Oh my God, Lucy is dead. No...no, no, NO! I walk over to her body to touch her. Her skin is cold but her heart was warm to me. I can't believe she's gone. And it's my fault. Thomas pulls me away from her body and hugs me closely.

"But, I-I…", I struggle to talk.

"Shh. It's okay. She was a good person, Lizzie.", Thomas says calmly.

I look him in the eyes and kiss him.

Then, I remember the abandoned house.

I run into the house and was relieved to find my mother and Uncle Caleb still alive. His wounds were getting better and I hug them without hurting Caleb. Keira was over in a corner crying her eyes out. I hug her and ask what happened. She whispers in my ear and I look at her blankly. The news was strange to me since I can't cope with death well. You've seen it for yourself. Her mother was shot and killed by the factionless. That must of been what had happened to Lucy as well. Me, Keira, Mason and Thomas all hugged each other. My mother whispers in my dad's ear, making him smile. He tells me that Lawrence was also among the other people that were killed. I cheer and hug my dad and mom. Thomas lifts me up and kisses me.

"We made it, Dauntless."

"Yea, we did, Erudite."

"Liz, can I ask you something?"

"I'm not committing any crimes!"

Thomas chuckles and gets on one knee, beckoning me to sit on his leg. I sit.

"Let's run away. Run away and marry me, Lizzie."

I laughed hardly, holding on to my ribcage for support, but my laughter dyed down as I saw the serious look on his face.

"No...freaking...way, Thomas. Are you fucking with me...?! You wanna marry me? Aren't we too young?"

"I thought that the Dauntless were risk takers.", he says with a smirk.

"We are...I'm just...scared."

"Liz Eaton, did you just say that you're _scared_?"

"Yea, so? Who cares? I don't!"

Thomas laughs and says, "That's why I fell in love with you in the first place..."

"Are you sure about this...?"

"Well. We've...slept together. We've hung out together. We basically know **everything** about each other. Why not, right? We're gonna be Dauntless soon."

"Are you-"

"Liz, if you want proof..."

Thomas goes into the back of his pocket and pulls out a small black box, opens it and shows me a small white diamond engagement ring. My heart sunk.

"Elizabeth Marie Eaton...will you marry me...?"

I got off of his leg, got on my knees and kissed him.

"Thomas Marshall, I do."

Thomas picks me up and twirls me around, kissing my lips. I hug him and our noses touch.

What a happy ending for us...

 **The End!**


	31. Epilogue

**Epilogue:**

Me and Thomas have agreed to a September wedding. He knew my thing for the fall. You know. When the leaves change their colors and the nights are crisp and cool, while the moon and stars come out to shine. Now, I wish I was getting married underneath the stars. I know it sounds like a crappy romantic autumn wedding movie, but it's the one _I_ want and _I_ need, so HA! I look at my reflection in the long-length mirror and I frown at my reflection. Looking at my white wedding dress and matching veil, I look like a complete **moron**. How do people wear this despicable garbage! I take that damned thing off of my head and look at it. I grunt in disgust and threw it down to the ground. I sit on the elegantly pearl-white couch in the changing room and I bury my face into my palms. I CAN'T go through with this...! I **do** love Thomas, but I can't _do this_! I hear a knock on the door.

"Come in.", I say through my hands.

Keira poked her head in and groans as she sees me not ready yet. She comes in, all seven months of her, dressed in an all-black dress down to her feet and matching sneakers, her hair tied into a long ponytail, and she sits next to me, wrapping her arm around my whole body and bringing me close to her. I rest my head on her shoulder gently.

"I can't _believe_ it's been seven months and you haven't **gave birth** yet!", I joke.

"Pregnancy takes _nine months_ , Lizzie.", she jokes.

"Ugh, I DON'T wanna know all that crap! Having a baby grow _inside of me_! *Shudders*….creepy."

"Don't act like you don't want a baby with Thomas...who YOU gonna marry...!"

I cover my ears. I didn't want to talk about the wedding. I don't wanna talk about babies. I don't wanna talk about love in general...! Keira notices my body language. Dammit! Why did her mother had to be a former Candor!? I shouldn't think about Aunt Christina. The memories of the war might make me cry and I **can't** afford the tears. Keira shakes her head and kisses my cheek. Damn her Amity nature. But, I can't complain since I'm friends with Anna again. I sigh.

"I don't think I'm ready for marriage, Keke."

"Don't you love him?"

I nod and start to tear up, but pretended to cough to cover up my sadness.

 _Keira_ , on the other hand, didn't fall for it.

"It's okay to be nervous. I was nervous when I was telling Mason about the baby."

"Hold my hand, Keke. Look me in the eye and tell me it's gonna be okay!"

Keira gives me her hands and holds on to mine but I didn't realize that I was squeezing hers too tightly.

"Sorry, Keke."

I let go and she rubs her hands softly.

I look down at my black Converse sneakers.

Keira hugs me and says that everything was going to be okay.

"Though I think we need to do something about your dress, Liz."

I look at my dress, which was pearly white, down to my knees, with ruffles. She was right.

"Alright, Lizzie. Strip down, little lady."

I took off my dress and Keira finds a black halter dress which fell at my feet. The dress wasn't flowy but not tight either, which was okay. THIS is better. No girly stuff. Then, I think to myself. I wonder how Thomas was doing.

* * *

"Remember, Thomas. This is my daughter. My _only_ daughter that you're marrying."

"Yes, Four, sir."

"She's very fragile."

"Is she?"

Four glares at him.

"Sorry, sir."

"Don't break her heart. No secrets. No lies. No adultery. No mistakes. If you step out of line, Marshall, I'll throw your ass in the chasm. Break my rules, I'll throw your ass in the chasm. Disrespect me or Liz-"

"You'll throw me in the chasm."

Four smirks and pats him on the back hardly. "Or I'll have Liz do it for me."

Thomas gulped at the thought of his soon-to-be wife throwing him in the chasm. Four laughs and fixes Thomas's black bowtie, which matches his all-black suit and white shirt. Proper wedding attire. Mason, sitting at the edge of the black and white couch, laughs and gets up to come to Thomas. Mason grabs a pair of scissors and cuts up Thomas's sleeves. Thomas growls at him.

"What the hell, Mason!"

"Dude, this is a Dauntless wedding. You have to look the part."

Four thinks about it and agrees by nodding. "We _are_ Dauntless. Have to look like one."

Thomas looks at himself and shrugs.

* * *

Since the factions were token down, the city of Chicago was beautiful with the colorful leaves on the ground. The crisp air was flowing. The wedding took place outside where our newly bought house was. Well, all-in-all, we were getting married in our backyard. What...? We're Dauntless! We don't care about romance! If that's the case, our marriage should open. Or polygamy should be legal...I mentally vomit of the idea of Thomas having a threesome. Thomas was standing on the wooden alter my father had built with Mason's help. He was tugging at his collar and was looking at the crowd of friends and family. He was surprised to see his family, mostly his _mother_ , sitting in the front aisle. Her arms crossed and her back relaxed. Creepy, but he didn't try to let his mother ruin his special day. For once, he wished that his mother would swallow her pride and be happy for him for once in her damn life! He also sees Marlon in his white tuxedo with blue polka dots, sitting next to Joselyn, his mother, on his left and Farrah, wearing a fiery red and yellow strapless summer dress, on his right. He kissed Farrah on her cheek and snuzzles her. Eric, who was sitting next to Joselyn was stewing, but she nudges him with a smile on her face. Thomas looks at the porch double doors.

 _Where's Liz...? She should be here. I wonder if she's as nervous as I am._

Then, the doors finally open but it was Four standing there by himself with one finger in the air meaning 'give me a minute'. There was a girl screaming in the house, which was me. My mother and Keira were trying to pull me out of the kitchen and into the backyard, but I wouldn't move. I wasn't _ready for marriage!_ I wasn't ready for **anything at all!** Mom grabs me around my waistline and drags me outside. Yes, it was embarrassing and I was being a baby but I had my reasons. As my mother puts me down, she smooths out her hair and says, "Sorry, everyone..."

My father looks at his feet and beckons me to hold his hand. I held it and we walk down the wooden aisle. I was face to face with Thomas as he looks at my black gothic dress and veil. I look at his arms.

"Whoa. Look at the buff show here!", I joke.

Thomas rolls his eyes.

"Says the girl who looks like the person from Green Day..."

"You mean Billie Joe Armstrong..? How dare you!"

Thomas chuckles as he holds my hands and looks into my eyes. I try to avoid his gaze. I was nervous as hell! My palms were shaking.

"Are you nervous as I am, Liz..?", asks Thomas.

I look at him. He knew.

But, the ignorance in me didn't back down.

"No! I'm Dauntless! WE don't get nervous! Who the hell do you think you ARE, Marshall!?"

I storm off but Keira puts a hand on my shoulder and gives me a stern look.

I sigh.

"Thomas...I love you. But...I don't think I can go through with this..."

I knew that his heart has dropped due to the look he was giving me.

"Liz, I'm nervous, too."

He holds on to my hands and kisses me.

"If you really love me, Liz...you would be brave with me."

I look him in the eye and nod, kissing him back.

There was my father, acting as the pastor, embarrassing me, and stands in front of us.

"Dad," I hiss. "What are you doing?!"

"What? You don't need a license to be a preacher."

"Uh, _yea ya do!_ Thomas!"

"Uhhh...I can't argue with Four, Lizzie..."

I groan while my father mocks me.

"Do you, Thomas Marshall, take my lovely daughter, Elizabeth Eaton, as your newly wedded wife...? Say yes or else I'll throw your ass in the chasm."

"DAD!"

"Oh my God, Four...", groans my mother while sinking in her seat while my Uncle Caleb snickers.

"Tobias is a _really good_ pastor, huh, sis?"

"Shut up, Caleb."

Uncle Caleb snickers again.

I shake my head and look at Thomas again, ignoring my father.

"I do.", says Thomas, without hesitation.

Smart man.

"And do you, my adorable daughter, Lizzie, take this ignoramus, as your husband. PLEASE say that you'll throw him in the chasm if he hurts you...!"

"DAD! I'm **NOT** gonna hurt him...! But, I can't make no promises..."

Thomas gulps.

"I do, though, take this idiot as my husband. Though, he's an Erudite..."

" **Former** Erudite, actually. Remember we formed the factions all together?"

"Aw, yea. For world peace and chocolate."

"Chocolate?"

"I'm hungry...okay?!"

Four shakes his head and says, "By the power I invested in **myself** , I now pronounce you man and wife. You may now kiss the bride. No tongue included."

"DAD...!", I whine.

Mom sinks in lower in her seat and Unc was dying with laughter.

Thomas holds my face and kisses me. I kiss him back. Mason was cheering loudly and Keira was clapping while laughing at her boyfriend. Marlon nods and claps with his mother, Joselyn, and Farrah with her sister, Brandy. I hug Thomas and holds his hand as we walk down the aisle and go into the house with our friends as we eat cake. Beautiful chocolate cake with white and pink frosting due to my parents hipping in on their money but my father was being hesitant on the size of the cake. My mother, on the other hand, ignored him, as usual, and bought anyway. Father, who never argues with Mother, just let her do her thing.

* * *

 ** _FIVE YEARS LATER:_**

I was watching television with my son, Tobias Matthew, who is three and Thomas, who was rubbing my pregnant belly. Tobias was sitting in front of the TV.

"Tobias, get away front the TV before you strain your eyes!", I say.

God, I sound like my mother!

Tobias comes at my ankles and hugs them. I ruffle up his black curly hair, which made me think of Thomas before he cut his hair.

I kiss Thomas and say, "I said I never get pregnant and look what happened."

"Well, Miss Dauntless, you DID say you're a risk taker."

"YOU wanted children...!"

I pick up Tobias, but Thomas beat me to do and placed him on his lap, kissing his son. A knock came and I got up to go get it. I open the door and it was Keira and Mason, who were newly married, with their five year old daughter, Christina, named after Aunt Christina, respectively, and they came inside.

"How are you guys?", asks Mason, stroking on his new mustache, which me and Keira begged him to shave off but he was being a dick about it.

"I'd be better if you shave off your stupid mustache!", I joke.

"Told you, Daddy, it was ugly!", Christina says.

"Aw, what?!"

Mason chases his baby girl around my house playfully with Tobias behind him, grabbing his ankles.

"Get him, Tobias!", I joke. "What's up, you two?"

"Me and Mason wanna know if you guys wanna get some ice cream with us."

"Sure, Keke. Tobias, put your shoes on."

Tobias goes to get his shoes while Thomas helps him.

Me and Keira go out the door, but we were in front of Joselyn, Marlon and Farrah.

"Hey, guys.", I say.

Joselyn smiles and waves.

"What'cha up to?", asks Marlon.

"Headin' for ice cream.", I say.

"Wanna come?", asks Keira.

"I'm game.", says Marlon, squeezing Farrah's hand.

"As long as there's no brain freeze involved.", says Farrah.

"Farrah, did YOU make a joke?", I ask.

Farrah makes a face and laughs with me.

Thomas carries Tobias and high-fives Marlon as he sees him. Mason takes his daughter by the hand and we all go for ice cream and the rest is history. Oh, by the way, I'm having a girl and I plan to name her after my family. Tris Natalie. Tobias Matthew Marshall and Tris Natalie Marshall. Nice ring to it, right? Right. See you guys in a while. Or not. Who cares?

 **The End!**


End file.
